Review: Superbad (2007)
tom elce
Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth
Rogen, Bill Hader, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva, Kevin Corrigan,
Joe Lo Truglio, Scott Gerbacia, Stacy Edwards, Chelsey Dailey
MPAA Rating(US): R
BBFC Rating(UK): 15
Reviewed by Tom Elce
(copyright Tom Elce)
A few edits not withstanding, the screenplay for "Superbad" was
purportedly written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg when they were 14-
year-olds, and it feels like that. Because of this the film feels more
genuine than the usual cookie-cutter teen gross-out comedy would do.
The characters are genuinely relatable to anyone who has ever been a
hormonal teenager, the story is a simplistic and equally grounded one,
the comedy itself is unflinchingly vulgar and crude, the direction is
understated without being bland and the acting is humorous and on-the-
mark. Most teen comedies are false, unrealistic hamfests more
frequently presenting watered-down, starkly phoney teenage characters
who, for the most part, bare little to no similarities to actual
teenagers. The same cannot be said of "Superbad", which is easily one
of the year's best comedies and a possible contender as one of the
year's best films, period.
The lead characters, Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), are
allegedly versions of scripters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
themselves, and so retain the creators' names. Here they are two best
friends on the verge of their high school graduation, soon to be
seperated and enrolled in different colleges. Well, Seth probably
isn't going to any college. Realising that their friendship could be
coming to an abrupt end, the socially awkward pair vow to have fun in
what they believe could be their final days as friends. First and
foremost, they set their sights on attending a big party being thrown
by beautiful classmate Jules (Emma Stone). Jules has invited them
because of a fake ID soon to be received by dweebish Fogell
(Christopher Mintz-Plasse), which the trio will use to obtain extra
alcohol for the party.
What Seth and Evan do not anticipate, however, is that Fogell's ID is
going to be for 25-year-old organ donor Hawaiin man named McLovin. Nor
do they predict that their attempts to buy booze will be interrupted
by a liquor store robbery. Or that Fogell will be taken away by
Michaels (Seth Rogen) and Slater (Bill Hader), a couple of police
officers as into partying as his alternate identity allegedly is. In
fact, there are a whole lot of unforeseen misadventures heading Seth
and Evan's way, ones that could likely prevent them from finally
attending a big high school party and, in turn, impressing Jules and
Becca (Martha MacIsaac).
"Superbad" arrives on-screen courtesy of much of the team responsible
for hugely popular comedies "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up".
>From my perspective, this gathering's efforts have increased with
every new outing, the mediocre Steve Carell loner piece surpassed by
the more on-target unplanned parenthood comedy, itself now beaten out
by the more spunkily scripted Greg Mottola directorial effort. Mottola
himself displays an ability with the camera that embraces subtlety in
movement, allows developments to unfold naturally on the screen, as
well as an ability to inspire superior performances from his acting
talent. That isn't such a difficult task, since the cast in question
have spot-on comic timing and the same brand of sarcastic, irreverant
humour in their line delivery that incalculably raises the value of
comedies of this one's ilk.
Jonah Hill and Michael Cera make for a great leading pair, the former
nevertheless outshining his team-mate in terms of elliciting the
larger laugh count. Hill doesn't recite a single joke out of tune, and
is a perfect fit for the character he's portraying. Cera, meanwhile,
is a slightly less capable comedic performer, which doesn't nearly
mean he isn't funny. Cera is funny, alright, just not quite on the
same level as Hill. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is great as present
superdweeb Fogell. Seth Rogen and Bill Hader outshine many of the
supporting cast handily as dimwitted police officials Michaels and
Slater, even if their parts serve little-to-no purpose other than to
simply be obstacles in the central pairing's course. Playing love
interests of the piece are Emma Stone and Martha MacIsaac, marginally
wasted in their underwritten parts.
"Superbad" is hilarious, a lough-out-loud comedy from beginning to
finish. An early scene in which Seth embarassingly recounts his
adolescent obsession with drawing penises proves to be one of the
funniest singular scenes of cinema that I've seen in the past few
years. Similar things can be said of another early scene, in which
Seth imagines the possibly disastrous things that might happen during
his attempt to purchase beer with a false identification. In fact,
there are several scenes that can be readily described as such in a
shamelessly crude testosterone-crazed teen comedy not afraid to be
constantly in the viewer's face. Such is the ingenuity and bullseye-
striking of it all, that one is morally entitled to smack across the
face anyone doubting "Superbad"'s credibility and quality.
"Superbad" debuts just in time as the sort of uproarious and
hysterical comedy that hasn't been glimpsed in a mostly uninspired
preceding [summer] season. The evidence on hand here suggests that
Rogen, Appatow, Mottola and company grow as filmmakers with each new
project. "Superbad" is this creative team's most successful and funny
film so far, leaving the viewer looking forward to whatever offerings
they now have in store for us.
(also posted at: http://te-movies.blogspot.com)
rcp
(... Most of excellent review clipped ...)
> Playing love
> interests of the piece are Emma Stone and Martha MacIsaac, marginally
> wasted in their underwritten parts.
That's one part of the review I don't really agree with. I don't think
their parts were any more wasted than those of anyone who is not the lead.
The movie can't be *everone's* story. Also, I think their parts were
well-written and well-played. Just as the leads weren't your typical
"watered-down, starkly phoney teenage characters" neither were the two
love interests.
rcp
dixichik
allegedly versions of scripters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
themselves, and so retain the creators' names. Here they are two best
friends on the verge of their high school graduation, soon to be
seperated and enrolled in different colleges. Well, Seth probably
isn't going to any college. Realising that their friendship could be
coming to an abrupt end, the socially awkward pair vow to have fun in
what they believe could be their final days as friends. First and
foremost, they set their sights on attending a big party being thrown
by beautiful classmate Jules (Emma Stone). Jules has invited them
because of a fake ID soon to be received by dweebish Fogell
(Christopher Mintz-Plasse), which the trio will use to obtain extra
alcohol for the party.
What Seth and Evan do not anticipate, however, is that Fogell's ID is
going to be for 25-year-old organ donor Hawaiin man named McLovin.
*******************************************************************************************
"I am McLovin". With these words, Mintz-Plasse stole the show. My
husband and I saw Superbad this weekend right after we watched
Halloween. I wasn't sure if Superbad would be worth seeing but I loved
it. I laughed so hard I almost didn't make it to the bathroom.
Halloween and Superbad will definitely make it into our movie
collection when they are released on DVD.