Movie Talks Archives

Posted by: Monotreme at June 15, 2008, 10:10 am

Topic: Forgetting Sarah Marshall Forum: JoBlo

(Nicholas Stroller, 2008) Judd Apatow has done the impossible. He has crafted, over the past few years, a series of movies that have sealed his name as a franchise; just as the name Quentin Tarantino attached to a crime movie means something to the movie going crowd, as such has Judd Apatow’s name attached to a comedy become to mean something similar. Whether he’s directing or just producing, Apatow and his troupe of actors, many of which appeared on his early, short-lived and underrated television program “Freaks and Geeks” bring a certain something more to the otherwise average romantic comedy genre. Indeed, like most of the previous movies attached to his name, Forgetting Sarah Marshall features a fairly simple, typical set-up and storyline for a romantic screwball comedy: A man is dumped by his girlfriend and he decides to take a vacation at the same resort his girlfriend and her new man are vacationing at, all the while falling in love with another girl who is clearly far more perfect for him. But Apatow, or in this case, his faithful troupe of actors, give the film a little something more that elevates it above other average comedies. That certain something is a sense of down-to-earthiness, crafting real, fleshed-out characters that most of us can fairly easily identify with – because they are essentially playing themselves, which is more than often famous, older versions of us – funny, awkward, movie-loving geeks. In continuing with his trend of giving lead starring roles to the actors who appeared on Freaks and Geeks and in small but hilarious supporting roles in his films – last year the breakthrough leading role was given to Seth Rogen – Forgetting Sarah Marshall stars Jason Segel, who finally gets a chance to showcase his true talent, and he certainly impresses. Besides delivering a hilarious, poignant performance in the film, Segel wrote not only the film’s screenplay but also the numerous original songs that appear throughout it, including the musical numbers to the Dracula puppet musical. I can only hope that Segel will enjoy a slightly more mainstream success just like Seth Rogen has been since the release of Knocked Up last summer. But the real show-stealers are the various members of the supporting cast. First off, the Apatow regulars Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader who are funny as ever with their quick-witted, probably mostly improvised comedic performances and who provide the flair and the extra punch with their supporting turns. Next up are the totally different, very British comedic styles of Russell Brand. Anyone who has seen The Big Fat Quiz of the Year will know that his performance in Forgetting Sarah Marshall is just a taste of his comedic brilliance. And then there is Mila Kunis, who takes a sharp 90-degree turn from the annoying loudmouth character of Jackie Burkhart as seen on That 70’s Show and who personifies absolutely the sweetest most lovable girl possible. Kristen Bell is okay but probably the most uninspired casting in the film. In all, a very particular and absolutely hilarious sense of humour, along with a level of charm and believability elevate this film above the average romantic comedy. RATING: 7/10.

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