Sans Sarah, rien ne va!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, definitely the biggest movie that everyone was looking forward to seeing this year. Apatow has had nothing but big success with his comedies: 40-year-old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard, and now Forgetting Sarah Marshall, their next big hit. Also Jason Segal's first major script brought to life, I have to say he's got talent, the reason I say that? These characters... they're likable! Not only are the likable, they are real and people you could relate too! For example, Sarah Marshall's new boyfriend that she broke up with Peter for, yeah, he's a little bit of a moron, but you know what? You could understand why people liked him, he was pretty cool, even the girlfriend, Sarah, yeah, she was a jerk, but so real and also you don't get too mad at her with her reason on why she fell out of love with Peter. Forgetting Sarah Marshall has great laughs and a fun story.

Sarah Marshall: hot actress, beautiful, and a fun person, just broke up with her musician boyfriend, Peter. He's just heartbroken and needs to get away for a while, so he goes to Hawaii, but guess what? Sarah is there with her new rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow, and things are not seeming to go his way. But when he meets Rachel Jenson, the nice and really pretty hotel clerk, they go out and he ends up realizing that maybe this break up wasn't such a big deal after all.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a funny movie, I guarantee you are going to laugh. I do have one complaint, the male nudity, now it's not that I'm a prude at all, just this was more uncomfortable than funny with Jason exposing all his assets. I don't know, just that type of humor isn't funny with me, male or female, just depending on the joke, but this was more awkward. But I do think this is a fun movie, it has a great story and really makes you laugh and just have a good time with these characters, it's a good recommendation from me.

7/10

I often go see advance screenings in my area, especially now that I must officially be on "the list" as I am constantly finding tickets in my work inbox. This was the second Apatow production I've seen in advance and just like "Superbad", this did not disappoint. At the same time, while many of the cast members may be recognizable, there seems to be something different about this installment than I've seen in the likes of "40 Year Old Virgin", "Superbad", or "Knocked Up".

For starters, there was a definite presence of the "TV actors on the big screen" theme here, but I am pleased to report that Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis take to movies like naturals. Like many Apatow productions, Segel penned the script and takes over as lead Peter Bretter, proving yet again that with this crew the writer is best suited for the leading role. Segel delivers a character we all know too well from our own personal experiences and never breaks role from the shocking beginning to appropriate ending. I even give Segel extra credit for not completely victimizing his character and pointing out apparent flaws on both ends of the ending relationship.

Kristen Bell plays Sarah Marshall, the iconic ex of the film, but her role sits on the back burner along with the truly hilarious Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) to make way for a leading role in Mila Kunis. From the beginning it is clear that her not-too-smart and shallow role of "That 70s Show" didn't follow her to "Forgetting"'s script. Kunis plays Racheal, a hospitality girl for the hotel that "Forgetting" takes place, and subsequently deals with Peter as he tries to get over Sarah Marshall. Her character is intelligent, charismatic, and appreciative of the good in people, a strong juxtaposition to the seemingly selfish starlet Sarah Marshall. Kunis owns the role with pride, even slipping in gestures and glances that didn't seem to initially be in the script. Hopefully this will open her up for more serious roles than "American Psycho 2" and the typecasting that often happens with TV actresses like her.

The star of the film, in my opinion, easily has to be Russell Brand, who plays the over-conscious over-sexed rock star Aldous Snow. Snow adds the necessary level of comedy that could have been missing from what is truly a tragic plot. About halfway in the film, I couldn't help but snicker to myself just with the presence that Brand creates (complete with perfect costume choices). The only downfall to a character who is truly the Mercutio of this tragedy is that Brand clearly overshadows Bell's performance as Sarah Marshall, who is ironically the most forgettable character of the film.

The writing flows with well-timed jokes, apathetic digs, and shocking vulgar humor. There is even a few moments where you feel Segel was digging on the cast with jokes involving crime dramas (Segel did time on "CSI") and TV actresses in horrible horror movies (Kunis did the atrocious "American Psycho 2"); not sure if it was intentional, but I caught what I thought was a reference. Just as with most Apatow productions, leave the kids at home. Unlike the rest, however, the crude humor doesn't overflow and turn off most audiences (like I noticed with "Superbad"). It also doesn't get very heavy in the least (which is what I felt hurt "Knocked Up"). I think Apatow has found a great balance with this production and Segel's script. I also want to give credit to Nicholas Stoller , who proved that he can be successful as a director after the hit he took from helping write "Fun with Dick and Jane".

All in all, this comedy is just another example of a good time for adults. It keeps a consistently flowing script, unlike many recent comedies that seem to lose pace as they close the story. While crude, the jokes are just light enough to appease most adult audiences and the short 100 minute run time will ensure you won't be glancing at your watch waiting for it to end, just laughing hysterically.

This film was shown at my university tonight and Stoller was there for a Q&A after the screening. The film was the typical Apatow romp that we have seen as of late (Superbad, Knocked up, etc.). There was the usual crude and creative humor as well inappropriate sexuality to make another great Apatow team production. People should not come in with the expectation that this is another romantic comedy reincarnation of "Knocked Up". This is more of a typical and organic romantic comedy. The heavy emotional weight and issues in "Knocked up" are not present in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". The casting and comedic pacing was done very well and though it may not be a cinematic heavy hitter, it was very good for a directing debut and it was what movies all strive to be, entertaining.

I normally do not go out for sappy, romantic roller coaster romantic fare; and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (FSM) pretty much falls under the romantic "date flick" rubric.

And I can't, for the life of me, quite figure out why I liked this so much. I guess the filmmakers succeed in making the welter of comic bits, scenes, and images come across like genuine romantic sweet chaos. How they succeeded is beyond my comprehension.

And maybe that's the point. Some films are good, some are bad, and some are sort of like miracles. Their power is inexplicable; and that's how FSM felt to me.

It was boffo, a bit over-the-top, a tad muddled, a mix of character study, revelation, and farce. And, as things unfolded, by dint of pacing and sheer comic/character acting power, I came to really care about the characters; and I loved it! I glowed through most of FSM.

Here's a way of looking at it: FSM was sort of like Shakespearean romantic farce. Maybe that explains why I liked it; because my mind already has a little engine for processing this kind of narrative stuff, built up from past experiences watching Shakespeare In The Park!

It also comes down to artistic sincerity. Most romance flicks are a little insulting because they're not sincere. There was something, in the end, believable and therefore redeeming about the characters and their silly little Hawaiian comedy of errors and feints.

And that's a miracle, in my book! This is not an ordinary date flick.

Producers Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson gave Jason Segel the chance of a lifetime to write and star in a film that ended up packed with comedic acting talent. The supporting ensemble cast and four leads (Segel, Bell, Kunis and Brand) perform Segel's script with synergistic perfection, generating a chemistry that is contagious to the audience.

Fate sometimes produces great opportunities... The part of Aldous Snow was written by Segal based on his friend, actor Charlie Hunnam. Charlie was cast in the role, but he quit at the first table read, paving the way for Russell Brand's big break (which he did not waste, making the character an iconic role-of-a-lifetime for the actor/comedian).

Each of the four lead actors shines in the spotlight - Kunis and Bell both look stunning and connect well with the parts and audience. Segel and Brand pull off their numerous laugh-out-loud funny scenes with subtle perfection. All four seem born to play the parts.

My favorite Apatow film, 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' combines a great script with perfect casting, across the board great acting performances, and uniquely effective direction by Nicholas Stoller. The result is a deserved 8+ IMDb Rating, as this film is one of the very best romantic comedies of the 2010's.