by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
B+ Rated R 114 min.
It seems everything Judd Apatow touches turns to gold these days. With the wildly successful Knocked Up still in theaters, yet another Apatow production strides towards a theatrical release. Superbad promises to be the teen sex comedy of the decade, taking the genre to the next level of raunchy dialogue, excessive profanity and more R-rated laughs than one would think humanly possible.
Seth (Jonah Hill), Evan (Michael Cera) and Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are three lovable losers who are counting the days until graduation. While the trio is completely ready to leave high school behind, they’re all dreading entering college as virgins. When the objects of their sexual affection ask the guys to get them alcohol for their big party, the geek squad sees it as their in and agrees, hoping Fogell’s recently acquired fake ID will do the job. The only problem is Fogell’s fake ID looks even more fake with the name “McLovin” printed on it. With no other option, “McLovin” tries to acquire the liquor, only to be caught up in the middle of a robbery and questioned by the police. Thinking their friend has been busted by the cops, Seth and Evan go it alone, getting into plenty of trouble on their quest for alcohol and poon. Meanwhile, Fogell isn’t busted at all. Officers Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (Seth Rogan) buy his McLovin ID and take the bespectacled kid on a whirlwind joyride as they drink beer, bust up a bar fight and get silly with firearms.
Based on the commercials alone, the McLovin subplot looked completely unappealing to me. I quickly changed my mind about this super-geek once he came on screen and I fell in love once his adventure truly began. This is the ultimate comedic character; goofy, relatable and highly quotable. He’s a pathetic underdog (even more so than his buddies) who thinks he’s cool and, as the film progresses, he becomes just that. While Christopher Mintz-Plasse is pretty terrific in the acting department, Rogan and Hader help bring the subplot to the next level, making it much funnier than even the main storyline. There are, however, plenty of laughs to be had there too.
Arrested Development alum Cera is, once again, hilarious as an awkward, soft-spoken teen looking to score. Thankfully, there are no blood-relatives involved this time around, but his nervous, tongue-tied crush is certainly reminiscent of George Michael and Maeby and it works here just as well. Hill’s character is funny in a far different, more vulgar way. He’s the friend you had in high school who would yell “balls” at inappropriate moments during school functions. Seth is more vocal about his desperation to get laid and is reckless in the pursuit of it. The three perfectly complement each other and absolutely echo the personalities of people you may know if you were in high school in the past ten years or so.
The humor is, as my Grandma would say, rude, crude and socially unacceptable. In fact, anyone planning to see this with their Grandma is in for an uncomfortable time at the movies. The very first scene, for instance, has Seth and Evan discussing in great detail which porn sites to subscribe to and what they offer. This opening sets the tone for the movie and never looks back, so if that doesn’t seem like something you’d find amusing, buy a ticket to something else.
Like Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, there’s a softer side to Superbad too. While the main storyline is about this quest, there’s also the underlying theme of growing up and growing apart. The kids have known each other forever and are standing on the threshold of adulthood, knowing that they will be going their separate ways in just a few months. Amid the many (MANY) penis jokes and drunken debauchery, there’s a sweetness that can’t be found in most teen sex comedies that makes it far more appealing than its predecessors.
Superbad is a nice combination of the best parts of American Pie and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Those above (or below) a certain age may not appreciate the intensely vulgar humor, but those who do and who vividly recall high school life will find themselves taking a fond walk down memory lane watching these kids prepare and attempt to step into adulthood. I suspect fans of Apatow will be pleased to know that the man still has the Midas touch.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
