6.23.2007

The Knocked Up Post

Last night I had the opportunity to catch Knocked Up with Naomi and Dean. I had expected to miss this one what with all the big hits this summer. Despite the fact that it looked really quirky and interesting. I’m very glad I managed to catch it, as in all honesty this one is a sleeper hit for me and in the running for best movie of the summer (oddly enough).

Seth Rogan stars as Ben, the stoner loser with even more stonery looser friends, who in a wild night out with a very drunk Katherine Heigl, gets the pretty blond pregnant. The mismatched couple decides to keep the baby and make the best attempt they can to make their forced relationship work. Katharine’s character is made to settle in many regards and accept Seth, and Seth finds himself forced to grow up and become the man he needs to be. The movie does a masterful job of characterizing people we all know and putting together a situation that has multiple sympathizes depending on who’s watching it. Jud Apatow has made a even-sided story where in everyone involved has a fair shake and has his/her pluses and minuses made apparent, making those who want to agree with a certain logic the option whilst still keeping the other side of the coin very open and agreeable at the same time.

My only complaint with the film is it falls back to the very base ‘har har stoners are funny when they say stoner stuff’-one-liners and situations a little too much for my liking. And while Seth’s character grows away from the easygoing lifestyle and becomes and respectable father figure by the end of the film, the constant reminder of his motley crew’s addiction gets a little more than repetitive. The constant reminders that ‘casual drugs are cool in moderation and everyone does them so lighten up’- is too persistent for it’s own good and gets fleshed out more than it needs to make the point. That said, Ben’s friends are some of the funniest characters in their own right and really do pull off a convincing posse, providing a lot of laughs. Oh and the scene with the bouncer is classic!!

Knocked up is a terrific take on a tried and true romantic comedy formula with added teeth, extremely well placed characters and an identifiable plot. Very well made and thoroughly enjoyable.

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