Knocked Up
It is really nice to go to the movies with high expectations and for once not have them totally smashed. In a summer full of totally lackluster sequels we have a bit of original comedy that shows you can entertain an audience for over two hours without explosions and over the top special effects. Sure people are going to go around saying really lame things like Knocked Up is this generation’s When Harry Met Sally, but if you want to get the most for your movie dollar this is where you’re going to want to go.
The appropriately named Ben Stone (Rogen) has done all he can to avoid any sort of responsibility. He and his friends sit around all day getting high and looking for celebrity nudity in movies for their website. After a one night stand with the completely out of his league Allison Scott (Heigl), Ben is feeling good about himself. However the same can’t be said for her. She works as a celebrity interviewer for the E! Network and having slept with Ben is at first a bit of an embarrassment, but after finding out she’s pregnant it becomes a borderline nightmare. They decide to have child, but the only people they can get any kind of parenting advice from is Allison’s domineering sister Debbie (Mann) and her continuously nagged husband Pete (Rudd). Without any real examples on how to bring a child into the world Allison and Ben are force to find their own way into parenthood.
Seth Rogen joins the long line of schlubby leading men who ended up with impossibly attractive women; at least here we acknowledge this fact. If you had told me back when he was on Freaks and Geeks that Rogen would be the star of his own romantic comedy I wouldn’t have believed it, yet alone thought that he could be as good as he is. As his baby momma, Katherine Heigl spends most of the film playing his straight man, but is great at not only capturing the struggle of being a new mom, but one with Ben’s man-child. Paul Rudd is once again brilliantly hilarious along with Leslie Mann. However, for my money, Craig Robinson (Daryl from The Office) as a club’s bouncer has the funniest scene in the whole film. Do yourself a favor and look up L. Witherspoon and Chucky’s “My Lady” on YouTube.
This is simply one of the most well cast films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s no surprise that Apatow works with the same people over and over considering their level of talent. He knows exactly what these people are capable of and he just lets them loose. That added to the fact the Apatow has a great ear for dialog. He has a way of capturing types of people that not only are believable, but could possibly be people you know.
I think it’s safe to say that Knocked Up is not quite up there with The Forty Year Old Virgin, but then again you are talking about one of the best comedies released in my lifetime if not ever. It’s biggest flaw is that it’s a little overlong but that being said, due to its subject matter this film will appeal to a wider audience while being able to hold on to those who enjoy Apatow’s other work. It is fantastic that he is able to mix such great comedy with as much heart as his films have. I’m glad that after having Freaks and Geeks canceled that his films are now not only a highlight but a much needed palate cleanser for summer blockbusters.
The Grade
- Story: A-
- Acting: A
- Visuals: B
- Originality: B
- Enjoyability: B+
- Overall: B+
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