Nicholas Stoller directed and Jason Segel written/starring film “Fogetting Sarah Marshall” is one another comedy spree from the Apatow Production. It is a further step towards the mastery Apatow and his crew has found in dusting up the new talents to shine over the screen. Jason Segel as the friend of Seth Rogen in “Knocked Up” represents the average strange men, Peter Bretter in this film. He is not fit, eats cereal in a giant basin and a couch potato. How is he dating a TV star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell)? He is a composer for her TV show “Crime Scene” (a weird hysterically funny spoof combining “CSI: Miami” and “Law and Order” franchise).The film is full of sweet predictability and yes it is charming. It has the usual “evil” ex-girlfriend but she has a side of story too, it has the mellowing and unbelievably friendly rebound love interest in the form of hotel receptionist Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis) (by the way where are these girls?) and the bumpy ride to the good ending. In spite of all those rituals of romantic comedy, the film succeeds and I mean it stirs up the funny bone insanely as the story progresses. How Apatow and his people do it? The streak which started in “The 40 Year Old Virgin” has clearly defined unknown genre in a sugary comedy no one has ever attempted.
It is the characterization and quite evidently the supporting characters the film carries about. It has the doped up Paul Rudd as the surfing instructor Chuck, Bill Hader as Peter’s step brother Brian along with his wife Liz (Liz Cackowski), Jonah Hill as the Waiter and the new comer from UK Russell Brand as Sarah’s new boyfriend Aldous Snow the rockstar. Every body has a story under their belt and it not only makes us like them but we interact with them as friends. The fantasy land the film provides with a believable character reaches out considerably.
Sure it is raunchy at places and you get full frontal nudity of not Kristen Bell but Jason Segel. And they do not shy away to show it and I was pondering on this. For all this time, male nudity is associated with serious sexual scenes but for comedy this is new. I honestly do not know the intention but it surely made me laughing. Naked men are laughingly funny and that is strange and weird too. The film rides on weirdness in simple human emotions in the incommunicado of awkwardness among the broke up and present relationship. The human element in this film is amazingly vibrant.
Peter heartbroken after having many one night stands decides to go on a Hawaii trip to get over Sarah and there Sarah adding tortures to his emotions is with her new boyfriend Aldous. Aldous is a rockstar, has thick accent and insanely cooler. Peter cries a bucket an hour and self pities till the next room occupant complaints front desk. He intoxicates 24/7 and a little bit of him dies every time he sees her or imagines Sarah in bed with Aldous. He needs to move on and it is not easy.
As the film cruises till midway on some effortless jokes we have seen from this franchise, there is a considerable change of momentum amongst the character. The predictable scenario of Sarah beginning get jealous on Peter’s hanging out with Rachel and her realization of Aldous an openly polygamous attitude, we get to know her. When Peter comes back with the much expected anger at some point, she gives back her side of story. For once a romantic comedy deservingly treats the person who broke some one’s heart a peek of their view on the failed relationship. It is at that point “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” takes itself seriously when it really wants it to.
And the TV spoof knocks you out to tears due to laughing. William Baldwin imitating David Caruso from “CSI: Miami” is spot on. I hate “CSI: Miami” for the record and especially the stale expression from each character. Baldwin does it funny as intended and that is something I have always laughed about when Caruso does it seriously. Do sit a while when the credits role because you get to see Jason Bateman impress with another spoof of the show “Medium” (I believe) along with Kristen Bell. It is priceless.
This may be the first impressive comedy for the year and it is heartwarming to see Apatow production giving it the first. In Jason Segel every average loser/nice Joe sees a part of himself constantly being the goofy one always trying to be nice guy in turn having lot of issues of his own. His acting is smart and he walks the line of irritating, sympathetic and lovable in measured amount. In his writing the stamp of its production is present but his heart is visible in originality. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is another successful romantic comedy on the lines of “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up” and it just keeps getting better and better.
2 comments:
Can't wait for this one. Very big Kirstren Bell fan. Blog is great as always.
It indeed is a good one. Thanks for visiting Stace!
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