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You've
heard it before (and you'll hear it in every review you read for one of
their movies for the next five years), but there really is little the
folks behind Superbad,
40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up
and Pineapple Express can do wrong at this point (and I truly feel sorry for the first mook
that gets handed the 'least successful' flick of the franchise later
down the track).
And while Forgetting Sarah
Marshall
may show the first signs of weakness of any of Apatow's flicks - it's
by no means any indication that the team don't still have the ability to
deliver some of the finest comedic films of the next decade.
The flick follow struggling musician Peter Bretter (How I Met Your Mother's
Jason Segel, who also serves as the films writer) who has spent six
years with his TV star girlfriend Sarah Marshall (the oddly
cross-eyed Kristen Bell), but soon finds himself in dumpsville.
As is usually requested from mates (in thise case, Hot Rod and Superbad's
Bill Hader) Peter embarks on series of womanizing and one night stands
- to no avail (cue: "All By Myself" crying montage). To clear his head,
Peter takes an impulsive trip to Oahu (has anyone else noticed that all
these comedies are set in Hawaii? Can anyone else say "Tax Deductable
Holiday!"), where he is confronted by his worst nightmare: his ex and
her tragically hip new British-rocker boyfriend, Aldous (Russell
Brand), are sharing his hotel.
You know the drill from here : Awkward
meetings, new
friendships, drunken escapades - and of course - a new love interest
(in the utterly stunning Mila Kunis).
The thing is, despite every
cliche in the book - Forgetting
Sarah Marshall somehow manages to keep it's originality in
tact.
The
real key here, as it has been with any Apatow production, is the tone
of the flick. The free spirited idea that 90% of the movies best lines
are most likely improvised on the day - and that's what makes it so
much fun. Because you feel like your part of the joking around process.
All the usual faces are back (Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill) as well as a few
welcome newbies (30 Rock
fans will rejoice at the witnessing the big screen debut of their
favourite NBC Page Boy "Kenneth") and this would , most likley the
easiet cash these guys will ever make - a couple of days shooting, a
few killer scene stealing lines, then a party in Hawaii.
The film's only flaw seems to be Segel. I've always been a fans of
Jason Segal - from Freak
& Geeks (where we first got a glimpse of Apatow's
genius) to How I Met
You're Mother.
The guy is an enormous jolly giant. But compared to the other Apatow
big hitters (and if you're going to slap "From The Makers of Knocked Up and Superbad" on the
poster - be prepared to be compared), Jase seems to lack that leading
man quality which is so sorely needed here.
Luckily, former 70s Show
babe Mila Kunis saves the day - she is nothing short of perfect.
Everytime she is on the screen I felt like a 16 year old with a crush on
my sisters older friend. Ridiculous - the first, and likely only, time
I have actually gotten lost in someone's eyes. But I digress before I
start sounding like an out-and-out stalker...
Extra points must also be awarded for the superb scenes taken from
Sarah Marshall's CSI
rip-off Crime Scene:
Scene of the Crime.
Not only does it deliver some well needed absurd laughs - it also gives
Hollywood a chance to showcase the superb comic talents of a forgotten
Baldwin and Jason Bateman.
There's so much to like about Forgetting
Sarah Marshall (Russell Brand almost steals the
show - in fact, his character is now getting his own movie) without ever being as memorable as it's sister-flicks.
Easily one of the better comedies of 2008 (not including anything starring Nicholas Cage)... DVD EXTRAS
There are a couple of versions of this release floating around, but
if you're going to invest your cash into a DVD (I'm assuming most
illegally downloaded it months ago), you simply can't go past the
"Unforgettable 2 Disc Edition".
DVD's just don't come this packed these days, so when one like this comes along, you really have to snap it up.
Along
with some very cool packaging (regular readers will be aware of my
addiction to DVD sleeves... this one has a slip case and audio
buttons... so just imagine how I'm feeling right now) there are a
bounty of extras that pretty much leave nothing on the cutting room
floor.
There are two versions of the film (extended sequences,
etc), a whole bunch of uncut improv, some nostalgic flashbacks from
original table reads, audition footage, some random fluffy EPK's, gag
reels, puppets.
Seriously, it just doesn't get better. If only everyone put as much effort into their extras as these guys do.
A must have.
Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 98%
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