Rating: 4/5
Forgetting Sarah Marshall might just be the most honest film to come out of Judd Apatow's repertoire. The man behind Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin has made his name of bringing forth some of the best unisex and emotional rom-coms to hit the screen since the film adaptation of Nick Horby's seminal novel High Fidelity.
But, his downfall is that rather than delivering a comedy based solely on the emotion of his characters, and thus making them more real, is that he relies too heavily on two things - crowbarring in his friends and the inordinate need to assault the senses with some sort of joke or gag when it seems that if the movie is funny every five seconds it's somehow doomed.
And while this latest production of his is no exception to this downfall, it's the least affected film to have his name slapped on it.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the second Apatow production of 2008, following his poorly recieved attempt at a family comedy, Drillbit Taylor, is the best of his works this year and, honestly, his best since The 40 Year Old Virgin. Some may cry blasphemy at me for not mentioning last year's critical faves Knocked Up and Superbad, but it's true. Knocked Up ran on about 20 minutes too long and Superbad was completely overrated and just not that funny. Forgetting Sarah Marshall combines Apatow's dirty humor with the sentiment that was present in Superbad and is paced to a near perfection.
Written by and starring Jason Segel, who plays the loveable doofus Marshall on TV's How I Met Your Mother, is perfect as the film's protagonist, Peter Bretter, a composer who does the music for his girlfriend's TV show, Crimewatch. His girlfriend is the titular Sarah Marshall, played by former Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell. Once the universe for the film is set up, our story begins promptly. Sarah dumps Peter and leaves him for another guy. This leaves Peter as a broken shell of a man. In an attempt to get over her, he goes on a series of one night stands with the aid of his step-brother, played by SNL's Bill Hader. These one night stands don't help and Peter takes the advice given to him and goes to vacation in Hawaii.
But, within moments of checking in, he is faced with two problems. One, he has no reservation and the only available room is $6,000 a night. And two, he is at the same resort as his ex. An awkward encounter with Sarah and her obnoxious new rock star boyfriend Aldous Snow, played by newcomer Russell Brand, leads hotel receptionist Rachel (Mila Kunis - That 70's Show) to take pity on him and books him in the only available suite, to Marshall's chagrin.
Peter tries to have a good time, but is still miserable, only made worse by his ex's new relationship literally flaunted in front of him. But, his newfound attraction to Rachel becomes the therapy he needs, as she becomes the anti-Sarah Marshall.
One thing Segel gets perfect in his wonderfully crafted screenplay is that he manages to show the faults of both Peter and Sarah. For most of the film, she is played up as a heartless monster for whom Peter stood in the shadows. But, Peter's faults are shown as well and that he was partly to blame for the demise of their relationship.
While it does wallow in some cliches that come with the territory, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is every bit as smart and funny as everyone else says it is. Funniest film of the year, so far. Here's the pun. See this movie, you won't forget it.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall might just be the most honest film to come out of Judd Apatow's repertoire. The man behind Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin has made his name of bringing forth some of the best unisex and emotional rom-coms to hit the screen since the film adaptation of Nick Horby's seminal novel High Fidelity.
But, his downfall is that rather than delivering a comedy based solely on the emotion of his characters, and thus making them more real, is that he relies too heavily on two things - crowbarring in his friends and the inordinate need to assault the senses with some sort of joke or gag when it seems that if the movie is funny every five seconds it's somehow doomed.
And while this latest production of his is no exception to this downfall, it's the least affected film to have his name slapped on it.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the second Apatow production of 2008, following his poorly recieved attempt at a family comedy, Drillbit Taylor, is the best of his works this year and, honestly, his best since The 40 Year Old Virgin. Some may cry blasphemy at me for not mentioning last year's critical faves Knocked Up and Superbad, but it's true. Knocked Up ran on about 20 minutes too long and Superbad was completely overrated and just not that funny. Forgetting Sarah Marshall combines Apatow's dirty humor with the sentiment that was present in Superbad and is paced to a near perfection.
Written by and starring Jason Segel, who plays the loveable doofus Marshall on TV's How I Met Your Mother, is perfect as the film's protagonist, Peter Bretter, a composer who does the music for his girlfriend's TV show, Crimewatch. His girlfriend is the titular Sarah Marshall, played by former Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell. Once the universe for the film is set up, our story begins promptly. Sarah dumps Peter and leaves him for another guy. This leaves Peter as a broken shell of a man. In an attempt to get over her, he goes on a series of one night stands with the aid of his step-brother, played by SNL's Bill Hader. These one night stands don't help and Peter takes the advice given to him and goes to vacation in Hawaii.
But, within moments of checking in, he is faced with two problems. One, he has no reservation and the only available room is $6,000 a night. And two, he is at the same resort as his ex. An awkward encounter with Sarah and her obnoxious new rock star boyfriend Aldous Snow, played by newcomer Russell Brand, leads hotel receptionist Rachel (Mila Kunis - That 70's Show) to take pity on him and books him in the only available suite, to Marshall's chagrin.
Peter tries to have a good time, but is still miserable, only made worse by his ex's new relationship literally flaunted in front of him. But, his newfound attraction to Rachel becomes the therapy he needs, as she becomes the anti-Sarah Marshall.
One thing Segel gets perfect in his wonderfully crafted screenplay is that he manages to show the faults of both Peter and Sarah. For most of the film, she is played up as a heartless monster for whom Peter stood in the shadows. But, Peter's faults are shown as well and that he was partly to blame for the demise of their relationship.
While it does wallow in some cliches that come with the territory, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is every bit as smart and funny as everyone else says it is. Funniest film of the year, so far. Here's the pun. See this movie, you won't forget it.
