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"American
Strudel...?" |
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Directed by Greg Mottola
- Written by Seth Rogen,
Evan Goldberg
Starring Seth Rogen,
Jonah Hill, Michael Cera,
Bill Hader, Stacy
Edwards
Emma Stone, Aviva,
Martha MacIsaac,
Marcella Lentz-Pope,
Laura Seay
Distributed by Columbia
Pictures -
2007 - 114m - Rated R |
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There are two key things for you to know about "Superbad," the latest
film from the cinematic world of Judd Apatow and his merry minstrels
of movie mayhem: |
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1) You will laugh your
ass off. You might as well go ahead and accept it. "Superbad" is a
foul-mouthed, raunchy, sex-obsessed and frequently tasteless journey
through the minds and penises of teenage boys. You will hate
yourself for it, but you will laugh. You may laugh with the boys or
at the boys, but you will laugh.
2) Laughter alone does not a stellar film make. Those of you who've
lived through the "Porky's" films, "American Pie" films or the
endless slew of 80's teen sex comedies will find yourself, on many
occasions, going "been there, seen that." While "Superbad" is a
frequently funny film, I dare say that it's also a film for which
you'll find yourself looking back thinking things like "That didn't
really make much sense," "That was stupid" or "I wish they'd done
more with this storyline or that character."
The end conclusion from these two key points is that "Superbad" is
neither the salvation of cinematic comedy, as some will proclaim it,
nor is it to be easily dismissed as just another teen comedy.
As directed by Greg Mottola (the movie "Daytrippers" along with
"Arrested Development" and "Undeclared") based upon a script that
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg originally wrote in their early teens,
"Superbad" achieves the almost impossible balance of being both
classic teen sex raunchfest and yet also a surprisingly tender and
insightful film similar in nature to Apatow's recent "40-Year-Old
Virgin" and "Knocked Up."
"Superbad" revolves around the comic friendships of high school
seniors Evan (Michael Cera), Seth (Jonah Hill) and the soon to be
forever named McLovin (newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse). The boys
are two weeks away from graduation, and their every thought has
turned to pending goodbyes, senior class parties and, yes, way
overdue endings to their not so prized virginities.
While Rogen and Goldberg reportedly based the script upon their own
adolescent experiences, the three leads are drawn broadly enough
that it's practically impossible to watch the three boys without
reflecting upon one's own high school days, either BEING one of
these three boys or having a friend who closely resembled one of the
three.
The script, undoubtedly reworked over the years, nonetheless works
because it genuinely feels like the inner workings of the adolescent
mind. Parents are unlikely to embrace "Superbad," because it will
not only remind them of their own misdeeds but also serve to remind
them what their own children are doing when mom and dad are not
around.
Of course, I'm not saying that I actually did any of these things
during my own high school years.
Cough. Ahem.
Despite appearing rather obviously older than a high school senior,
up-and-coming comic actor Jonah Hill ("Evan Almighty" and "Knocked
Up") has a natural comic instinct that serves his character well.
Hill's Seth is a raunchy, sex-obsessed and foul-mouthed young man
who openly acknowledges being willing to do just about anything to
get laid, but whose inherent sense of rightness, decency and a touch
of low self-esteem create just the right amount of sensitivity
despite his frequent rate of insensitivity.
Cera's Evan, on the other hand, is a more shy, slightly more
intelligent nerd headed to Dartmouth post-graduation and who thinks
about sex about as often as Seth but romanticizes it so intensely
that it's hard not to wonder if any girl will really ever present
him with the right time and right place. Much like Seth, Evan
possesses an inherent decency that doesn't allow him to take
advantage of the perfect opportunity with the girl of his dreams.
As Fogell, newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse takes the stereotypical
nerd role and turns it up several notches. When his character
obtains a fake I.D., Mintz-Plasse's uber nerd is utterly convincing
as he attempts to explain why choosing the one-word moniker "McLovin"
actually makes sense. If the Academy were to give an award for the
perfect facial expression, Mintz-Plasse would undoubtedly be
nominated for the complete and utter expression of joy on his face
as he finally gets with the girl of his dreams, looks up and says
"It's in." It's a priceless, funny and sweet comic moment.
With fresh fake I.D. in hand, McLovin is charged with obtaining the
liquor that will score the babes and, of course, nothing goes as
planned. McLovin ends up accompanying two police officers (Seth
Rogen and SNL's Bill Hader) on an increasingly ludicrous series of
misadventures. While both Rogan and Hader are a joy to behold, the
misadventures become so over-the-top and extended that they become a
tad distracting from the film's otherwise grounded "real life"
experimental comedy.
The film's female roles are considerably underdeveloped, a shame
considering that all three actresses appear game for some comic
misadventures of their own. Likewise, the lack of character
development makes it more difficult to accept their blossoming
attractions to three young men who would be, at the best, nerds in
nearly any high school across America. Despite the script's inherent
limitations, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone and Aviva all perform
nicely and show promise for future roles.
Rather surprisingly for a film so obsessed with sex, "Superbad" is
actually devoid of any nudity. While body fluids abound and there
are a couple scenes of sexual situations, it is a credit to
Mottola's direction that the emphasis remains on characters and
comedy not titillation and easy laughs.
The production design for "Superbad," set in present day, has a
decidedly 70's feel to it, complete with a Bootsy Collins musical
accompaniment. Filmed on a rather modest, at least for a proven
box-office winner like Apatow, $20 million budget, "Superbad" is
practically guaranteed to be a modest box-office winner for Sony
Pictures.
While the cast has proclaimed in interviews that the "F" word is
used more times in "Superbad" than any other film, I find myself
believing that to be more a proclamation of teenage nerd bravado
than actual fact. While "Superbad" is undoubtedly on the raunchier
end of the teen sex comedy spectrum, the raunchiness itself felt
authentic to the characters and never felt manufactured or
over-bearing. It is an interesting choice, however, to not hold back
on the "R" rating when the film is so clearly targeting the teenage
male audience.
Among the vast sea of teen sex comedies you will recall while
watching "Superbad," perhaps the film it most closely resembles is
the Cameron Crowe penned "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Like that
classic film that made Sean Penn a star, "Superbad" gives us
everyday characters making everyday decisions that are frequently
funny, occasionally absurd, inherently honest and surprisingly
sweet.
For all its obsession with simply getting laid, "Superbad" is an
intelligent and occasionally insightful look at the sometimes scary
place we call the adolescent male mind.
Suddenly, I'm much more comfortable with the idea of being 40 now. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
The slightest
of recommendations goes to this poor man's
version of "American Pie". The characters
aren't as amiable as those in that 1999 teen
comedy classic. The jokes aren't nearly as
funny. Everything is just a little too
forced -- virtually begging for laughs rather
than letting them happen.
Still, I
laughed enough to forgive the flaws. The
laughs are predominantly found early in the
film, generating enough momentum to reach the
final credits The final act crawls through
an overly schmaltzy message about friendship and
goodbyes and new beginnings and becoming an
adult. Blah, blah, blah.
"Superbad"
works best in the opening 45 minutes, when it
lets the three leads riff with obscenities and
nerd-speak about getting drunk and getting laid.
Unfortunately, the typical teen comedy fare
starts to wear off after that and it devolves
into a less effective rip-off of dozens of other
entries in the genre.
I would
classify this movie as mildly amusing and
occasionally funny. It never quite reaches
the hilarious level that made "American Pie" an
instant classic. I never wept with
laughter. I never cared about any of the
characters on their quests for beer and pussy --
they were far too cynical and crass for that.
I never bought into the friendships -- and I
certainly didn't believe that the girls in the
film would even remotely acknowledge the
existence of these three boys, let alone be
interested in them. "Out of their league"
never seemed a more appropriate term.
Nevertheless,
comedy is about laughs -- and this movie had
just enough for me to approve of it as a
one-time-watch.
Jacob Hall's
Comment
n/a
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