Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Review by Loc

How many movies is the Judd Apatow empire involved in? I know I mention it quite a bit, but it’s getting ridiculous. Once Hollywood has found its next mold, they mass produce the living crap out of it. Just happens that this time, they’re not trying to replicate the mold with some cheap knockoff version, they’re just asking the mold-maker to churn out more stuff than humanly possible. Want a little rundown? Fine, producing credits with Apatow’s name: Anchorman, Kicking and Screaming, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Drillbit Taylor, Pineapple Express, and Step Brothers. Yes, the last two haven’t come out yet, but I guarantee that you’ll see “brought to you by the guys who gave you Knocked Up/Superbad/etc. Enough of this guy already. Quick on the newest flick: same old stuff, but what more were you expecting?

Look, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to have Apatow and Co. involved in big-budget comedies. However, if those are the only comedies that Hollywood is willing to churn out, it gets a bit monotonous. Much like my reviews, I know. All kidding aside, cause my reviews kick ass, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is pretty good, but that’s not saying it’s great. It’s full of beautiful people, it’s got awkward, occasionally funny exchanges, but in the end, it’s just a little blah.

Why is it only blah? First, the lead character is played by your average looking Jason Segal. He also happens to be the screenwriter, so why not cast yourself as the lead. Yet, Segal is a slightly more charming Michael Rappaport, and that’s not saying much. He’s pretty boring, pretty mundane, and definitely had no chance in ever landing a chick like Kristen Bell’s Sarah Marshall. Seriously, it’s like a bad CBS-sitcom with a tall, goofy white guy taking the place of fat, goofy white guys like Kevin James or Jim Belushi.

So that’s the first strike, the second knock is the un-comedy presented. See, I get it, I understand that this new “brand” of humor is supposed to be obscene and unpolished. It’s supposed to be more like the real world and less like the “over-the-top” Wedding Crashers/Old School . But, here’s a little word to the wise: full-frontal male nudity isn’t inherently funny, it’s just awkward unless you do something with it. Not that, get your hand out of the gutter.

See, that’s a little risqué, I can write this crud, too. So, what are the good parts? Well, the beautiful people are fun to look at, especially in the Hawaiian setting. Kristen Bell, Mila Cunnis, Russel Brand, they all make you feel bad about yourself, but in a good way. Plus, each of them turns in some good performances. Brand’s stereotypical rock star Aldous Snow is quite funny. The weird thing is that even though he’s supposed to be the dipwad, he’s mostly charming and cool. Even the dumped boyfriend realizes it, mentions it, and looks confused by the revelations. Which is actually a problem, because if Brand is a likeable villain and Segal the boring protagonist, that makes a difficult sell.

And maybe that’s strike three. Seriously though, the movie is decent. Yet, don’t mistake it for something extraordinarily funny or life-altering. It is what it is, a Judd Apatow-flavored comedy. If you like those, if you love those, this flick is for you. If you’re like me and find them mostly OK, then this will be the same fare. I didn’t stray into plot details mostly because it plays out exactly how you expect. There are no surprises, there are no fun detours, it’s a raunch comedy that follows conventional wisdom. Out of five days at a beautiful Hawaiian resort, Forgetting Sarah Marshall only shacks up for 3 nights. Plus, Kristen Bell has a tighter six-pack than the 300 guys, it’s kinda scary.