Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Back from seeing Zack & Miri with taffimai. I sat in stunned silence for a bit at its conclusion for several reasons:
Do I recommend it? Only if you are a Kevin Smith fan, possibly a hardcore Kevin Smith fan. Mr. Smith, if not quite stealing from himself, is certainly retreading some ideas, jokes, and scenarios, but they are still entertaining if you like that sort of thing. If you liked Chasing Amy and Dogma and thought the others were foul and/or sophomoric, then you should probably skip this one. If you thought the others had their moments, you should probably rent it once its out on DVD.
- Kevin Smith has finally made a credible male-female romance. He did it by following his standard bromance formula: friends first.
- How this movie did not get an X rating is a mystery to me. I've heard the story about it initially getting an X and Kevin apparently pleading his case so eloquently that the rating was changed with no cuts having to be made. Um. I've seen softcore porn that didn't show that much.
- I have now seen far more of Jason Mewes than I ever wanted. No, really. Nice dragon wing tattoos, though.
- This film has got to be the new recordholder for casual cursing. At one point, I recall thinking there are other words in the English language and I'd appreciate hearing some of them.
- Mr. Smith seems to have returned to providing his actors with line readings. I could hear Smith's delivery frequently in Seth Rogan's performance. Conversely, Elizabeth Banks is the first female lead since Chasing Amy who I didn't think was being directed to act like Joey Lauren Adams.
- Justin Long, as you've never seen him, is wickedly funny.
Do I recommend it? Only if you are a Kevin Smith fan, possibly a hardcore Kevin Smith fan. Mr. Smith, if not quite stealing from himself, is certainly retreading some ideas, jokes, and scenarios, but they are still entertaining if you like that sort of thing. If you liked Chasing Amy and Dogma and thought the others were foul and/or sophomoric, then you should probably skip this one. If you thought the others had their moments, you should probably rent it once its out on DVD.