OBSERVE AND REPORT (15).

Comedy/Romance. Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Anna Faris, Celia Weston, Michael Pena, Jesse Plemons, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Dan Bakkedahl, Colette Wolfe, Randy Gambill. Director: Jody Hill.

YOU wait years for a film about a deluded shopping centre security guard – then two come along almost at the same time.

A little over a month after Kevin James’ tomfoolery as Paul Blart: Mall Cop, writer-director Jody Hill traverses similar territory in his follow-up to mockumentary The Foot Fist Way.

The similarities end there, because Observe And Report is most definitely not a frothy romp for the entire family.

Date rape, alcoholism, mental illness and drug abuse aren't laughing matters, but Hill evidently thinks otherwise, constructing outlandish situations, which he admits were inspired by Taxi Driver.

Leading man Seth Rogen plays mentally unstable security guard Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen), who has always dreamed of wearing the police uniform.

But Ronnie’s warped sense of reality means he fails the recruitment test and becomes the dictatorial head of security at a shopping mall.

When a flasher strikes, Ronnie resolves to track down the culprit with a crack team.

Meanwhile mall manager Mark (Bakkedahl) calls in Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) to catch the flasher, who quickly undermines Ronnie’s misplaced authority.

When the flasher targets wild makeup counter girl Brandi (Anna Faris), the object of the security guard's affections, the assignment suddenly becomes deeply personal.

Observe And Report will shock audiences who fell in love with Rogen for his turns as an adorable loser in Pineapple Express and Zack & Miri Make A Porno.

There’s nothing remotely endearing about Ronnie and Faris is cold-hearted rather than ditzy.