Knocked Up, 2007
Knocked Up, 2007
Directed & Written by Judd Apatow
Cast:
Seth Rogen ... Ben Stone
Katherine Heigl ... Alison Scott
Paul Rudd ... Pete
Leslie Mann ... Debbie
Jason Segel ... Jason
Jay Baruchel ... Jay
Jonah Hill ... Jonah
Martin Starr ... Martin
Charlyne Yi ... Jodi
Iris Apatow ... Charlotte
Maude Apatow ... Sadie
Joanna Kerns ... Alison’s Mom
Harold Ramis ... Ben's Dad
Alan Tudyk ... Jack
Kristen Wiig ... Jill
Knocked Up, as everyone else in this community has mentioned (okay, that's just two other people -- I thought there'd be more to link, but I was wrong), is worth a watch or two. The dialogue is hilarious, made even better by its improvisational nature, and the improv feel to the whole movie is engaging -- and possible -- because of the awesome chemistry among the entire cast. I had reservations about seeing Katherine Heigl in a comedic role, but she did a great job, even if it often felt like she was just trying to keep up with the zingers of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann. Jason, Jay, and Jonah are the perfect sidekicks to Rogen's Ben Scott, showcasing the many superficial reasons that Ben and Alison "shouldn't" be together as well as Ben's growth over the course of the movie. Alison has a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights thing happening throughout most of the movie, but she also grows into love with Ben, which makes the movie seem that much more realistic. Jack (Tudyk) and Jill (Wiig) are great as Alison's E! News bosses, and seeing Alan Tudyk and his red hair and perfect teeth makes me want to watch Firefly and Serenity.
Really, the only thing I didn't like about the movie was the length -- it seemed to go on forever, and the awkward pauses, while vital to the feel of the movie, didn't help the time pass more quickly. That said, though, I felt as if I could suspend my life and completely enter the World of Knocked Up, which I think says a lot about how well paced and entertaining this movie is. The movie really does need all the time that it takes up because it centers on such deep, complex characters who are negotiating a brand new, life-changing situation. Part of the reason I saw Mr. Brooks last weekend instead of Knocked Up was that I was afraid the latter would get all pedantic, religious, and paternalistic about what happens when people have sex outside the bounds of marriage. Even when I entered the theater on Monday night, I had these fears reinforced as the previews for I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, License to Wed, and Evan Almighty rolled onto the screen. I didn't think I could sit through two hours of sex-negative, pro-abstinence, propagandistic punishment brought to you by BushCo-Disney, Inc.; but it turns out that Knocked Up really is as irreverent and funny and down-to-earth as the previews advertised. So that's cool.
I recommend this movie to anyone who's interested in a light, offbeat comedy that actually portrays somewhat realistic relationships. I wouldn't say it's a laugh-a-minute thrill ride ( Chris said it reminded him of The Break Up in terms of dialogue), but it's really good.
Overall: A-