7 Days in Hell (TV Movie 2015) Poster

(2015 TV Movie)

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8/10
Worth the Watch
wjcochrane15 July 2015
Not at all what I expected when I saw the trailer. They pushed the envelope as far as possible when making this movie and it paid off. How unexpected some of the things are in this movie is what makes it so funny. Andy Samberg and Kit Harrington play their roles perfectly Definitely do not watch this movie with any children or your parents depending on your situation. The unexpected cameos in this movie are incredible. They got the most random people possible to be in this movie. Do not go into this movie with high hopes, accept it as it is. You will not be disappointed. So many things about this movie are incredible. 7 Days in Hell is 100% worth the watch.
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8/10
Super Funny AND Super Dumb
whitneycraig22 July 2015
As long as you understand that it is intentionally dumb, then you will laugh through the whole thing. It's not trying to be like Blades of Glory or any other sports parody like that, it's just a dumb comedy that really is hilarious.

There are some scenes that go on too long, and moments of sex and general nudity that probably didn't need to be there. In other words, it's fitting for the HBO crowd but not for a whole family to sit down and watch.

Kit Harrington definitely stole the show, every second he was on screen was completely hilarious. I might just be too big of a Jon Snow fan, but I thought his character and his performance alone makes this worth watching.
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7/10
A game for the ages!
estebangonzalez1018 August 2015
"They could theoretically play forever, which is scary for somebody like me who doesn't much like watching tennis."

Jake Szymanski's 7 Days in Hell is a spoof of sport documentary films similar in style to the 30 For 30 ESPN series. This hilarious 40 minute short written by Murray Miller, stars Andy Samberg and Kit Harington as two famous tennis players who made history when their Wimbledon match lasted seven days. Since the film is made in documentary style format we get fun interviews from the likes of Serena Williams, David Copperfield, and John McEnroe among others. Samberg plays Aaron Williams, a wild athlete who was raised by the Williams' family (A racial reversal of The Blind Side as Serena jokingly claims). Despite his wild behavior and crazy hair he quickly climbed the tennis ranks. However when he was about to reach the pinnacle of his career, a crazy incident during a final match forced him to abandon tennis and retrieve to Sweden. During his absence, a new star arose: Charles Poole (Kit Harrington), a well mannered mama's boy British player who is not too bright. During an interview he claimed to be the best tennis player of all time and that is what sparked Williams to want to return. Upon his comeback, the two face off in court during the first round of Wimbledon and what ensues is simply hilarious.

Sport fans everywhere will have a great time with this short spoof documentary full of silly and witty humor. It is absurd and overly raunchy so the humor might not work for everyone. We all know what Samberg is capable of, so Harrington is the one who truly surprises here with his comedy. Williams reminded me of a young Agassi and of course they went over the top with this character. The side-stories that at times seem to be getting off track work to the film's advantage. They include animated scenes in Swedish prisons and a short bio of a famous jury cartoonist. The producers knew exactly how far they could go with this premise and at 40 minutes they seemed to reach the perfect running time before the joke ran out of steam. It would've been a mistake to make this a full length feature film.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/
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7/10
A long Saturday night live sketch
gianlucamarzano168 July 2015
7 days in hell is a fictional documentary about the longest tennis match in history. It is directed by Jake Szymanski and stars Kit Harington and Andy Samberg. First off, seeing the trailer I could this could be very funny or just very stupid. I'm glad to said that it turned out to be very funny. The acting is great, Kit Harington who is on Game Of Thrones, I didn't know if he could be funny and he played his part perfect. Andy Samberg was also great. He always plays a funny part and he's does a great job most of the time. Overall 7 days in hell was a funny fake documentary about tennis with great acting and has lots of great cameos. Defiantly worth checking out.
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10/10
My type of humor.
Bryan-11 July 2017
This was a pleasant surprise. Before watching this I had never heard of it. There are a ton of LOL moments. The humor is juvenile, just how I like it. If you didn't find this funny you need to loosen up. I only wish it was longer. It was nice seeing Kit in a comedy. When the camera panned down in the underwear scene...
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7/10
Comedians having fun
peefyn3 August 2015
I must assume that this started as an idea for a skit, but they kept adding on jokes until they realized that they couldn't go any further. At a bit over 40 minutes, this skit is just about as long as it could be. And they cram those 40 minutes full of gags. And all the people involved seems like they are having a great time.

I laughed at many parts of this, as crazy/over-the-top comedy often can be quite funny, especially delivered in a dead pan way. I wish they would have gone further in getting the actor's to play it straight. Kit Harington does a great job, not acknowledging (with his acting) that he is playing in a comedy. Many of the other people appearing in the movie are almost winking at the camera.

The scenes in Swedish are quite fun, as the Swedish actor actually says his lines in Swedish, while Samberg channels the Swedish chef from the muppets show.
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9/10
Very funny!
calum559 July 2015
So as a tennis fan myself I wasn't sure what to expect from a documentary style parody. With some good actors and tennis stars I was hoping for it to be worth my time. Andy Samberg was especially really funny, as were all the actors. The whole way through I was laughing, there are some weird moments which shouldn't put you of as this is a very different but hilarious 40 minutes that will be worth your time. If your looking for a comedy which is different and unique then this will be for you as this is not serious at all. It is very hard to make a parody of something really funny as I have watched a few in the past and they have been very poor but this one was very funny. I recommend to everyone, even people who don't enjoy sport will enjoy it.
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7/10
Ridiculous but funny
grantss10 August 2015
Ridiculous but funny.

A "documentary" on the rivalry between and American tennis player, Aaron Williams (played by Andy Samberg), and an English tennis player, Charles Poole (Kit Harrington, of Game of Thrones fame). Focuses largely on the match where their rivalry reached a climax - Wimbledon 2001, 1st round - a match that took seven days...

Just from that you'll know this is not going to be a conventional, even realistic, comedy. It is incredibly over-the-top, to good effect. Some of the scenarios are so out there you can't believe anyone ever thought of putting it into a movie. However, this is HBO...

Not brilliant though. It often does rely on shock value for its laughs, and the writing does feel a bit sloppy at times.

Can't fault the cast though. Samberg and Harrington are great in the lead roles. Solid support from a host of big names: Michael Sheen, Mary Steenburgen, Lena Dunham, Fred Armisen, Howie Mandel plus several stars as themselves: John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Serena Williams, David Copperfield.

Outrageous fun.
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10/10
if you follow tennis, this is the funniest spoof ever!!!
nanciwaco13 July 2015
as a tennis fan for about 40 years, I know the ins and outs from watching grand slam tournaments. if you know your tennis, then you are familiar with the Wimbledon no-tiebreaker in the fifth set. think back to john isner two day fifth set. if you are not a fan of tennis, I can see why you wouldn't like it. to the reviewer who said it looked like they filmed it in 2-3 days -- you are correct. it was made in 3 days. I honestly think every match I watch from here on out, I will enjoy a good chuckle. this review may sound total helpless, but I wouldn't dare to give anything away. I don't think the world would come to an end if you took 50 minutes out of your life to watch it.
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7/10
Silly but lots of fun, with a great performance by Michael Sheen
cherold24 January 2016
7 Days in Hell is a very silly tennis mockumentary. It's utterly ridiculous from beginning to end, but it's smart enough to make the stupidity work. It seems like something that was probably a lot of fun to make, since its creators were free to ignore all bounds of taste and reason.

One imagines half of the movie was devoted to casting, since the whole thing is a mix of Hollywood and sports celebrities. Everyone acquits themselves well.

Easily the best thing in the movie is Michael Sheen as talk show host Caspian Wint. I know Sheen as the uptight Dr. Masters, and Caspian proves he has a good deal of range and is an excellent comedic actor. I kind of wish they'd just made a movie about Wint rather than a movie about tennis.

I'm not a sports fan, and this might be funnier if you watch tennis, but I still enjoyed it. Not something for the ages, but very fun.
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8/10
It is nice watching some new style of comedy with such cool cast.
Aktham_Tashtush19 July 2015
The Idea of the movie is so fresh and genuine the plot is extended and unpredictable .. and the script is funny , In some parts it looked a bit loose with only a couple of shaggy scenes like having sex on the court or in the Swedish prison but it's an HBO thing so we shall be used to that by now but As a whole it suits a TV movie form on cable and i do think they mad it perfectly on the time matter speaking. back to the writer Murray Miller he is not that guy with much of achievements apart from 3 Primetime Emmy nominations on Girls and American Dad :D yet i do believe he made a home run by this movie. Honestly, The ending was Fair but not satisfying it was like lets make a balanced final scene between two stars "Andy Samberg and Kit Harington".

As for the cast, they were all amazing.. bringing a real tennis starts like Serena Williams, Chris Evert and McEnroe was nice touch to make the movie look more like a documentary style .. the others like Will Forte, Fred Armisen and of course that leading stars Andy Samberg and Kit Harington were really funny.

So overall, the movie really works, and yeah the huge campaign i'v seen advertising the movie worked magic ... so it was nice watching some new style of comedy with such a cool cast.
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6/10
Stupid and funny for tennis fans
mickman91-124 November 2021
I've no idea why this was made, but it is funny. Well worth 45 mins. Fair play to the pros who were game for a laugh and got involved - serena and McEnroe etc.
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2/10
Really bad
avenuesf12 July 2015
As much as I've always liked Andy Samberg, I was left wondering just why he chose this as a project. Forty minutes go by with very little continuity and (it appeared) no script. The whole thing seemed to be rushed and off the cuff and looked as though they completed it in about two-three days, and I don't think I laughed once. Even the co-stars (Howie Mandel, Mary Steenbergen, June Squibb, etc.) seemed wasted and their characterizations were tired and not particularly original. I think HBO has put out some incredible programming in the last few years but am wondering why they backed this, as it seems completely mediocre with no real point. Let's hope Samberg finds better projects in the future, he's way too good to be putting out stuff like this.
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7/10
I stumbled upon great comedy!
patriciogl1019 September 2019
Kit Harington and Andy Samberg, a rather unlikely pairing; nevertheless exciting in my view. I was expecting over-the-top comedy and this effort sure delivered. Mockumentaries are always great, when done right, and this was the case for 7 Days in Hell. The fact the I really like tennis made it even more appealing to me. The cast was brilliantly hilarious, from Kit and Andy and the celebrities who appeared as themselves. I'm really glad I came across this, it showed me an interesting side to Kit, who's probably the only one not involved in the comedic part of showbiz.

I'm surprised I hadn't even heard of this, and I know I would definitely watch this again!
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9/10
It wasn't even a match. It was something else.
Reno-Rangan4 November 2016
This is a 45 minute mockumentary made for the television that was aired on HBO last year. Directed by a some television director, who recently made his feature film comedy, 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates'. It is an American film, but the story takes place in England.

This is the story of two top tennis players who class for a big match that lasts for the 7 days. You heard me right, the film reveals how the game was dragged for a week and in between that, some flashback clips and interviews were attached.

The film sets in the 2001, but when you look at the settings, particularly the players' appearances that gives the impression of the 70s or maybe the 80s. Whatever, it was so good, miles ahead to those real comedies from the recent time. The jokes were amazing, sometime I laughed loudly out of the control.

I think they designed this story and its characters so well. The actors, totally nailed it. I usually like Andy Samberg's films and his performances, but for the first time I liked him for real. If you ask me, I would say this is his best film so far I'd seen. Sadly, it was not a theatrical film.

Looks like the director aimed it for a short film, as he has made plenty of them prior to this. But I appreciated him for making it as an independent television episode with a fine length where he developed the story and its character brilliantly.

"This is like nothing I've ever seen. Spectacular! Absolutely spectacular!"

Less than an hour, but the entire film was shot within the three days of time without compromising on the production quality. The actors too were not amateurs while displaying their sporting skills. Since it is a comedy, that could have been neglected, but really well done drafting those scenes accurately.

Recently Andy Samberg did another mockumentary on the music theme called 'Popstar; Never Stop Never Stooping', but looking at this one and its success, there won't be any surprise it is going to be turned into a feature film-come-mockumentary.

Of course the preference was given more to Andy's role, but Kit Harrington was equally amazing. He's in a very important role and I think between these two, it reminded me the Nadal and Federrer taking on each other.

There are some guest appearances which were very crucial for this tale to narrate what it wanted to tell in the most comedic way as much as possible. So there's no way you end up unsatisfied, but you should be open minded for that.

I was surprised by the overall film, Because I was not expecting it to be so smart, at a time funny as well. Definitely this film is for the grownups, because there are many adult jokes with unexpected nudities and sexes. But who cares, if you are old enough, just enjoy what it offers.

From the great title to the wonderful performances to the beautiful writing, this is definitely a must see. I hope you won't miss, especially if you are a tennis fan, you would find it a lot funnier than the others. My final word is, recommended!

8.5/10
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7/10
great fun
SnoopyStyle24 November 2018
It's a fake documentary of a 2001 Wimbledon tennis match between Aaron Williams (Andy Samberg) and Charles Poole (Kit Harington) which lasted 7 days. Aaron grew up in a reverse Blind Side situation with the Serena Williams' family. Charles is one of dimmest people around with mommy issues.

Samberg is great and completely within his element. It would be nice to have an equal for his counterpart. Harington is a solid dramatic leading man but his comedic skills are not sharpened. There are ways to play a ridiculous idiot but he's falling a bit flat. The material is full of hilarities. It's only forty three minutes which gives it a weirdly shorten feel. This is great unusual fun.
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9/10
What the f did i just watch?
dodzich1 August 2015
This is so bad, but yet so good. I had a real blast watching this and wasn't bored for one second. The cast, cameos and the weird style just made this really interesting and worth watching. It does however feel very cheap and completely silly.

If this was a full 2 hour movie i would probably have gotten tired of this stupid, over the top style comedy but in 40 minutes it works great.

I would completely understand if people rate this low though because of how ridiculous, cheap, rushed, low budget and poorly made it is or whatever you wanna call it. But i for one loved it.
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7/10
Don't drink anything. You'll spit it right out.
Sergeant_Tibbs8 August 2015
When I think tennis and funny, I always think of that scene in The Royal Tenenbaums where Luke Wilson's Richie gives up for good. Maybe writer of 7 Days In Hell Murray Miller enjoyed that scene too and though it would be great to have a mini-mockumentary about what happened next. Just long enough to be considered a movie, 7 Days In Hell is a densely packed film, enough material and running gags to make a feature if they wanted to. But that might spoil its delights. If you wanted 80 or 90 minutes, you'd have to add too many detracting subplots to develop its characters. Instead, we get them developed at a distance, and instead of subplots, we get outlandish tangents, such as exploring the life of an innovative courtroom artist.

Fortunately there's more hits than misses, but it's a low-to-mid standard of absurdist humour. Nothing out of place for Andy Samberg, but surely for Game of Thrones regular Kit Harrington, who fits in just fine (or indubitably). With a mix of sports personalities and comic, Will Forte and Michael Sheen being the brightest sparks, HBO gives them the freedom to be as crass as they like, and it certainly resulted in many spit-take moments if you happen to be drinking anything. I unwisely did so. It may be more of a long sketch than a movie, but Jake Szymanski's keen sense of how documentaries are formulated provide many delights to match the high laugh-counter. Maybe this will become a trend for more films like this. It's not top tier but I'd be watching.

7/10
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9/10
great, laugh a minute comedy.
aimeecus29 May 2019
Great mockumentary, funny as hell. I have watched this a few times now watch it every year before now i watch it every year in my build up to Wimbledon, Kit Harrington amazing, great work by some big name tennis stars to do the mockumentary such as Williams and McEnroe. Recommend this as a must see before you die if your a tennis fan or sports fan
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7/10
very silly, very funny
RubyMouse28 July 2018
I love these HBO mockumentaries. They are a good length and just silly, absurdist fun with really great sports stars not taking themselves seriously at all. It's clear everyone involved is having a fun time and there are some stellar performances from the main actors.
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8/10
Absurd comedy that's not for all audiences...but was for me!
RevRonster16 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"7 Days in Hell" tells a simple story but overloads it with ridiculous and varied humor and a stellar cast…and I say "overloads it" in a great, indulgent sort of way, not in a gluttonous or bad way.

Mockumentaries are a fun product to take in but can easily be screwed up. There's a balance of making them look real but, at the same time, keeping them fantastic enough that they can't be real. "7 Days in Hell" balances this perfectly as the story and the two main characters are very eccentric and over-the-top but the way the film shows the story and progresses the plot looks like a legit documentary. This blend makes a funny premise work that much better and when you add in a host of varied and absurd humor and great comedic actors, you have a stew that is very filling and very satisfying with its comedy. This comedy isn't for everyone but for the ones it is for, they could just love it.
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7/10
Great Laughs - Worth Seeing if You Need a Good Chuckle
SoulPicassa2 May 2019
I believe someone on here said this movie is like an extended SNL skit and I couldn't agree more! Very funny yet silly at times. Loved the celebrity and athlete cameos and it was nice to see Kit Harington take on a fun role like this one!
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1/10
Probably the worst thing I've ever seen
slydon1314 July 2015
I'm sorry but I couldn't watch more than 30 minutes.

Who wrote and who approved this script? I'm guessing its some kind of 'lad' humour and perhaps they think this is elevated 'Benny Hill' but it makes Benny Hill look tasteful.

Did none of the humans who lent their name to this (Chris Evert or John McEnroe) read the script? or were they happy that anybody attempted a comedy about tennis?

I'd be the first to think 'mammas boys' are funny but how did you manage to make him so dull? It was an achievement.

Did nobody have the judgement to say 'the emperor has no clothes' and that this is a steaming pile of the worst writing.

All this summer there has been nothing zero zilch nada niente to see in the cinema because not a decent script to be had (save 'Homes'). Even the Jurassic Park reworking of the same script was more watchable (although I hated paying to watch a film I had already at home).

I'm better off watching a Ken Burns documentary than imagining there will be decent comedy / drama produced.
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7/10
Crazy , Ridiculously entertaining , wild fun ride.
akellashashank9 May 2022
This fictional sport mocumentary is absurdly funny , Weirdly silly with over the top scenes but all these aspects fits so well and generated plethora of laughs throughout, barring few instances. Both Kit and Andy held it so good till the end , they just made me laugh hysterically. Oh man, Andy character may seem hyper but he stole the with his attitude and i'm pretty aware of his capabilities as an actor and he delivered it with panache. Kit is equally good in his role and gave his character the needed touch. Even the other cast's witty descriptions about the match evokes laughter. Some parts of comedy may not work for everyone, but to me, it is indeed crazy , Ridiculously entertaining , wild fun ride.
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8/10
Hilarious mockumentary
Horst_In_Translation19 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut were nothing against these guys. If you are as interested in tennis as I am, you will certainly understand this reference. And you will hopefully also enjoy these 42 minutes as much as I did. This comedy short film was really well done. Interviews with former tennis players like McEnroe and Chris Evert added a nice seemingly serious touch, but don't be mistaken. It is 100% comedy. David Copperfield's addition seemed a bit random at first, but it's fine too I guess. The scene where he appeared after one of his tricks (gone wrong) on the Centre Court was funny. I also liked everything with June Squibb, especially the elevator scene and the streakers on the court were fun too. Back to June Squibb, this is a nice watch for lovers of the film "Nebraska" as Will Forte appeared in here too. The runtime was perfect too. There were hardly no scene that felt unnecessary, so it was good to keep the film this short before it could possible drag. And of course, all the tennis scenes were pure comedy gold, especially the one scene called the greatest point ever played. This is a must-see for every tennis fan. Plus the cast isn't that bad either with Hamm, Dunham and Sheen apart from the ones I already mentioned. I laughed from start to finish in here and I was close to giving this one a perfect score. Finally, a mention to Murray Miller who wrote the script for this one. It would be nice to see him get Emmy recognition for this, but I guess not. Anyway, highly recommended. Go check it out.
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