Raunchy and often juvenile, but also hilarious, SUPERBAD takes the freedom of crude humor from AMERICAN PIE and filters it through the honest sentiment of a John Hughes film. This vibe has become the branded style of director Judd Apatow and he brings the same to this film, which he produced. Director Greg Mottola, who has worked on TV series such as UNDECLARED and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT after making his directing/writing debut on the indie comedy THE DAYTRIPPERS, plays the material straight, bringing an unforced authenticity to both the comedy and serious moments.
Seth (Jonah Hill, KNOCKED UP) and Evan (Michael Cera, JUNO) have been inseparable since they were eight years old. Now it's the closing days of their senior year and both are heading off to different colleges. Both hope to hook up with a girl for a brief summer fling. Evan has his eyes set on Becca (Martha MacIsaac, ICE PRINCESS), who Seth does not like for his own private reasons, and the heavy Seth has his eyes on any girl who's drunk enough to sleep with him. During Home Ec, he gets partnered with the pretty Jules (Emma Stone, TV's DRIVE), who later asks him to secure some booze for her party. Desperate, Seth and Evan have to rely on geeky Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who has bought a dubious fake ID with the solo name McLovin on it, to get them the needed party supplies. As things in movies go, the plans do not turn out as planned. Seth and Evan end up at a shady party of rowdy brawlers, while McLovin deals with hapless police officers Slater (Bill Hader, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) and Michaels (Seth Rogen, KNOCKED UP).
Written by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the excessive raunchy dialogue is overbearing at first, but once the second act kicks in the superior situational comedy takes over. The crude talk is centered on Seth, which makes it part of his character and less an overall element of the film. It's not what he says really, it's just what he says over and over and over again. He becomes tiresome and annoying, which is the same juvenile quality that undermined parts of KNOCKED UP earlier in the year. Though, in this high school set story, the immature sex talk is more acceptable in context, thus ultimately less irritating than when it comes from a gaggle of man-boys. In the end, the way Seth talks and thinks about sex and women comes to haunt him.
The various shenanigans Seth, Evan and Fogell get involved in elicit some of the biggest laughs of any film this year. Seth's run in with the older women at the party, Evan's vocal escape from being trapped in the bedroom at the shady party and McLovin's escapades at the bar and when the cops arrive at the party are big highlights. Hill handles his overzealous sex obsessed character well and Cera brings the same good guy charm to this role as he did to his character in JUNO. Rogen and Hader do solid supporting work as the party animal cops. However, the real standout is newcomer Mintz-Plasse, whose McLovin will become a character that enters the pop culture. He may never play another character as well in his career, but he is McLovin.
In midst of the bawdy humor is a good heart as well. Cera's Evan is really a nice guy who has great qualms about getting a girl drunk just to have sex. The growing tension between Seth and Evan, over Evan rooming with Fogell at college, is woven into the whole story well. When it comes to a head, it doesn't feel forced, but a natural progression of events. Seth's attitude reveals itself as part of his overall insecurities. There is moment at the end between Seth and Evan that is as tender as it is funny. The closing scene ends the film on an unsentimental, yet poignant coming of age resolution. With its balance of humor and heart, SUPERBAD is actually super good or badass, whichever you want to call it. Trust me, you'll be McLovin it.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
