(2007, 128 min) Writer/director Judd Apatow, after the consistent brilliance of TV's "Freaks and Geeks," "Undeclared" and the big-screen breakthrough The 40-Year-Old Virgin, may have just proven himself to be the holy grail of comedy. Where Kevin Smith's dialogue is honest, profane yet unnaturally verbose, Apatow manages to make similar dialogue (and the occasional improvisation) sound familiar and organic. Where the Farrelly brothers juggle vulgarity and sensitivity, Apatow melds the two into a seamless whole. In fact, the only reason Ben (Seth Rogen), slacker, underachiever, stoner and slob, is so damn lovable is because he spits out every obscene observation that floats into his head. That same social shortcoming allows him to note his insecurities, vulnerabilities, and understandable inability to approach the gorgeous and upwardly mobile Alison (Katherine Heigl) in a nightclub.
Fortunately his equally baked friends (all Apatow regulars) prod him on, leading to a drunken night of inadvertent baby-making. Alison decides to keep the baby, creating a flip-flop of the conventional romance: The sexual climax was first, and they must almost force themselves to know each other and fall in love. A multitude of supporting characters provides ample opportunity for bouncing romantic ideas around, best displayed in reluctant husband Paul Rudd and explosive wife Leslie Mann. Behind those one-note descriptions are surprisingly deep characters that continually ring with truth.
The knee-jerk reaction to a 128-minute romantic comedy is that it's just too long. To that I ask, what would you cut from this perfectly paced movie? Ryan Seacrest badmouthing Jessica Simpson? The pointed music critcism ("Steely Dan gargles my balls.")? Rogen and Rudd tripping at Cirque du Soleil? The running gag about a beard-growing bet ("See you, Scorsese on coke")? A bouncer explaining the truth about the velvet rope ("I'm only allowed 5% black people, which means if 25 people are in the club, that's 1¼. I have to hope and pray for a black midget just to make quota")? Our best hope is that Apatow gets a development deal with HBO, where he can have the time and the freedom to explore similarly deep, truthful and profane characters as long as possible.
© TLA Entertainment Group
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