Lost in Migration

Weighing eight prosperous seasons since it first premiered on HBO in 2004, it is the brainchild of Doug Ellin (who wrote the screenplay and directed the film), and its premise is loosely based on Mark Wahlberg's experiences as an up-and-coming film star - Wahlberg was also one of the producers on the series and now the film.

But what is Entourage? It chronicles the acting career of Vincent Chase, a young A-list movie star and his childhood friends from Queens, New York City, as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Los Angeles, California and deals with themes of male friendship and real-life situations in modern-day Hollywood.

The film picks up six days after where the series ended and reunites the hit show's original cast, with Adrian Grenier as iconic hotshot Chase, with Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara as his entourage, and Jeremy Piven as super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold.

New characters

New characters include Billy Bob Thornton and Haley Joel Osment as father and son Larsen and Travis McCredle, who feed the dreams of Hollywood superstars with their wealth.

The television show is known for its array of famous guests, having featured several actors, athletes, and other celebrities in guest star and cameo roles, often playing fictionalised versions of themselves, and in the film is no different.

For the few who are unfamiliar with its history or haven't seen the series, the film robs them of some great characters that fade into oblivion, and for ardent fans, the intimacy the series offered evaporates and it somehow feels like just another season that might spawn another sequel.

Its repetitive nature follows the formula of its addictive television incarnation, but feels like a low-carb diet and not the feast fans are familiar with. What made the series pop was its raw-and-raunchy energy, which gets lost on the big screen.

Not that Entourage is not entertaining; it has some amusing moments, but does not leave one on the same high the series did, and works better inside its comfort zone.

Make sure not to rush out of the cinema when the end titles appear, as there is a fun sequence after the title sequence that offers some laughs.

Film is in the eye of the beholder; if you want to find out what the buzz is all about and unfamiliar with the television series, see the film and its guaranteed that you will rush home and start watching the first season on DVD. If you're a fan, see Entourage for its nostalgia and journey into the lives of characters that have become close friends the last 10 years.

Behind the scenes

To take the guys and their enviable lifestyle of access and excess to the big screen, writer/director/producer Doug Ellin, who created the hit HBO series on which the movie is based, knew that the feature film Entourage had to be even bigger-no small feat, considering all the ground they'd covered before.

"Although the show was a big show with a lot of locations, I wanted to take it to another level for the movie, so it's Entourage on steroids, with glamorous yachts, planes and houses, and the stakes for everyone higher than ever."

Despite the TV show's popularity and its 26 Primetime Emmy Award nominations-including six wins in such categories as acting, directing, writing and outstanding comedy series-Ellin knew he not only had to up the ante, he also needed to reach movie-goers who may not have been series devotees. "The way we structured the film, you do not have to have seen one second of the show to enjoy it," he conveys. "You're instantly inside a movie star's world and hanging out with him and his best friends, having fun, livin' the dream."

Because the filmmakers had made a concerted effort to shoot with viewers' aspirations in mind, the jump to the big screen felt almost like fulfilling the ultimate fantasy for the wish fulfilment-based concept.

Producer Mark Wahlberg, who served as an executive producer on the series and on whose life the idea for the original Entourage was loosely based, recalls: "When the show was on the air, fans couldn't get enough of it; I'd get asked about it all the time. We'd always planned to make a feature-length movie, and we knew in order to do it, it would have to make sense for all the characters. Doug found a way in: it's the guys being the guys, along with all the great Entourage-style moments you got from the original, but bigger in every way."

Ellin concludes: "The goal of Entourage is, and has always been, wish fulfilment - the ultimate fantasy. No matter where you are in the world, say you're sitting somewhere in the freezing cold, you can go to the theatre and look at what's happening on the screen and say: 'Wow, I really want to go there.' It's good friends living the good life, and there's nothing better than that."