Knocked Up (2007)

It's Judd Apatow...what do you expect?

How is it possible that so many people are clueless about what a Judd Apatow movie entails? Scores of these reviews condemn this movie for being too crass, offensive, etc., as if they were expecting a Billy Wilder romp instead of a movie made in another century. This is the guy who has given us a wealth of movies which all tap extensively if not exclusively into the lowbrow, locker room, sophomoric comedic vein that is ala mode. Why would you think this offering would be any different?
That being said, I found it funny. Yes, the plot line is hard to swallow. The hot tv personality finding love with the unemployed, corpulent, stoner loser simply because they had a drunken night of sex is straight Hollywood fantasy. Still, it isn't unrealistic that beautiful women go for less-than-handsome guys; just ask Ric Ocasek or Billy Joel. What I found most appealing is the deadly accuracy of the marriage between Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's characters, the latter playing main character Alison's (Katherine Heigl) sister. The palpable angst that permeates their relationship is very real and very honest, as anyone who has had a failed marriage can attest, especially one built largely upon the arrival of children. Within the jokes about genitalia et al are some astute points about relationships, kids, acceptance, and maturity.
As for the jokes, I am on the fifty side of my mid-forties and I still laugh out loud at many of them, as crude as they may be. I work with a largely twenty-something crowd and I have come to realize that there is a generational change in what is funny, what is socially acceptable, what offends, and what passes for a new morality, if you'll pardon the usage of such a dangerous word. All I can recommend to those who don't find this kind of humor their style; don't watch it! We can argue the sociological, cultural, or moral implications of such a change in morays all day and night, but in the end, you either find it funny or you don't. But please spare the rest of us your whining. At this stage in the game, your "Oh! My virgin ears! I'm so offended" cries are contrived and disingenuous attempts to stab at the heart of a cultural change that you no longer are a part of. Every generation has its day and yours is past. Come to grips with it, go watch I Love Lucy, and stay out of the current release section.

November 15, 2008

Pathetic, vulgar, mindless filth

If you are in the 13-16 year old age group (or never progressed mentally past said stage) and love toilet humor and degradation of both sexes, this is the movie for you! I fervently hope you don't live near me. November 12, 2008

Crude and Disappointing

If you like stupid, inane, and bad language, you will love this movie. The movie is boring with a lot of ugly (inside) people. November 9, 2008

That was stupid

This movie was ridiculous and extremely sexiest. One of the worst things about this movie is that even though many (if not all) of the male characters constantly refer to women by derogatory names like "bitch" and "ho", just to name a few, and none of the female characters seem to mind much. Not to mention there's this mentality that all the slackers have where they think women are only around to orally please them. This movie makes you lose faith in men. Another annoying aspect of the movie was the constant amount of profanity. There's nothing bad or evil about profanity in general, but saying it constantly with only 2-5 regular words between each curse word does not make anyone sound cool or anything like that. It just makes a lot of the characters sound like complete morons.
As for the actual plot, there was no chemistry between the lead characters at all. Ben and Alison were completely different people and their relationship was a bunch of annoying bickering. This movie would've been better if she just had an abortion and they split up so the audience wouldn't have to put up with all of the horrendous film-making in the next couple of hours.
November 2, 2008

Marriage is like a tense, unfunny version of Everybody Loves Raymond, only it doesn't last 22 minutes. It lasts forever.

2007's Judd Apatow hit 'Knocked Up' was the first of a few 'smash hits' in the young comedy genre of film for the year, starring Seth Rogen as Ben Stone a slacker trying to start up an internet business with his buddies that points out when women are naked in different movies, who gets lucky when he hooks up with E networks newest onscreen personality Alison Scott(Katherine Heigl).

When one night of fun turns into a highly unexpected pregnancy for Alison, how will she cope with the idea of her own baby, plus Ben's childlike behaviors.

To be frank, Knocked up has it's funny parts, but I just can't get around the point of looking at having a baby as something so casual. I prefer Stepbrothers, or Superbad.
October 27, 2008

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