Ressaca de Amor

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.

An amusing and sometimes awkward breakup film, this pic was written by and stars a long-time Apatow cohort, Jason Segel. The pic centers on lost, hypersensitive slacker Peter, who after being broken up with by his TV star girlfriend copes with its end poorly, eventually escaping to Hawaii where he subsequently books himself into a hotel that she is coincidentally staying at.

Immediate warning to those sensitive to full frontal male nudity: it is present and more than once. That out of the way, the pic was pretty affable, containing more than a handful of good laughs as well as more than a lot of generally comically captured sex scenes. Many of the secondary characters also play enjoyably silly roles. And there is a funny musical component to the pic that also includes an amusing rendition of puppet-related works.

I suppose I do have to level a little criticism for the theme being a little slight, but there still is something to be said for healing of personal wounds and learning to "move on". Those that have seen other Apatow relationship pics will probably see a number of similarities (slacker dude learns to grow up, gross out comedy, etc), even though Apatow didn't write or direct this piece. The film is also a bit on the long side, like many comedies that come from the Apatow crew and you do notice it. Some judicious trimming and relegating of some scenes (including numerous flashbacks) to DVD extras would've been helpful.

Finally, I wish that more character could be drawn from both Sarah Marshall and Peter's newfound love interest, hotel employee Rachel as they played fairly two-dimensional, but I'm glad that Sarah didn't end up a one-note character as well. I didn't love the conclusion of the breakup story arc because I felt that it was a bit of a cop-out, but it didn't ruin the film. Lastly, Peter was written a little on the edge of believability in terms of being oversensitive, so you really have to buy his character, otherwise the film will break on you.

Essentially, this is a congenial, enjoyable, but rude/crude film with a share of laughs and more Jason Segel than you probably ever wanted to see. Recommended for those who like some story with their laughs and can handle the vulgar, sexual, and nude content. 8/10.

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.

The whole story feels so refreshing and the characters are so beautifully written that you can't help but fall in love with them. There's these two big guys in the movie that are side characters but they ended up being my favorite with their distinct funny and lovable personalities. They're almost like Disney movie characters but for adults. You also can't help but fall in love with the setting as well since it takes place on Hawaii. The chemistry between actors is unmatched. It's like they're all on the same wavelength and can riff off each other with no problem. Everyone understands the assignment, even the side actors and extras, and it shows in their performances. It's kinda hard to describe the feeling you get from watching this movie, but I guess some words that help describe it are: feel-good, cozy, hilarious, sincere. Mila Kunis looks more beautiful than ever in this movie, it's like she's a goddess or something - she's glowing. If you haven't fallen in love with Mila Kunis yet, you definitely will in this movie. Kristen Bell gives a wonderful performance as well playing the sort of villain in the movie. She taps into her more sentimental dramatic side, without also neglecting her funny side, and it balances the rest of the comedy in the movie so well. Russell Brand is hilarious as the cool yet self-absorbed lothario singer. Jason Segel, who also wrote the movie, plays the heartbroken yet funny main character who ends up finding hope and moving on with the help of Mila's character.

It's a well written rom-com movie that feels very refreshing with all of it's wonderful characters and hilarious moments. They've perfected the Rom-com formula with this one, this is how you make a comedy breakup film. It's a must-watch.

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.