Harry laughs his ass off over SUPERBAD... and that's a lotta ass

I have to say – I’ve been totally knocked out by two comedies this year. KNOCKED UP and SUPERBAD. Sure, I saw KNOCKED UP at BUTT-NUMB-A-THON last year, but that was a work in progress – the final film is even funnier. That the same basic creative team is also releasing SUPERBAD the same summer… it’s just very damn unlikely that they’d be at all on the same par. Right? Wrong. This summer, you’re going to get two Great Comedies. For the purposes of this review, I’m going to talk about SUPERBAD, the one you’ll get on August 17th. I went into this screening with little to no hype. When I got the call to set up the Drafthouse screening and I was told the names of the talent coming, I didn’t really know who they were talking about. But then, I’m really bad with names. Yoko instantly went Googily over Michael Cera – and the fact he was going to be there. But from watching the trailer… I was excited about one name in particular… Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin! I don’t know why, but from the first trailer, then the Red-Band trailer – this McLovin character just had me in stitches. When the film started up – it just felt right. The whole opening conversation – which goes on forever – seemingly in real-time, with no breaks – between Jonah Hill and Michael Cera… it is absolutely filthy, but filthy in the way that best friends speak. They’re not particularly talking about the most important shit in the world, in fact, it could very well be a conversation that they’ve been having for years with 30% differences – but it feels earnestly spoken. As if it wasn’t the work of an actor given words, but of two friends talking on the way to school about the filthy shit they found on the net, the girls they have crushes on, and how life in college is going to be completely different. Not only that, but I found myself so engrossed in the conversation, that I really didn’t care about anything that was around them. It was, entirely about them. Which is what they themselves were thinking. Until the reality of the fact that the outside world doesn’t see these guys for the funny fucks that they are. The outside world doesn’t see them as anything other than a pair of dorks to torment. And it has so consistently been that way, that they don’t take it with shock, but with that feeling of acceptance… that is how it is, but with the faith that perhaps it will not always be so. Then we’re introduced to the character that is beneath these two, or so we think at first… Fogell (soon to be known as McLovin). If the characters of Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are geeks… Fogell is the dweeb along for the ride. He’s very socially inept – one would gather upon first impressions – but these characters are not lightly drawn. The character dynamic changes, given who is talking with who – and in what group they’re functioning in. In other words, it’s very much a reality based comedy. Let me see if I can break it down a bit for you. Seth and Evan have been best friends forever. They’ve gone through the fire of being called “fags” from the alpha crowd, but they’ve functioned well… They’ve attempted to make progress in the delicate world of “getting laid” and there is evidence that the fairer sex could possibly be warming to their attempts. In Seth’s mind – Evan is his only and best friend. To Seth, Fogell is a leech, that’s trying to suck his friend away from him. He’s intimidated by Fogell, because Fogell is, in fact, better at school than Seth – and is like Evan in that degree, but what is worse – Fogell is going to the same college as Evan – and he’s paranoid that Fogell will replace him, and then he… Seth, will be friendless. In Evan’s mind – Seth is his best friend. But the reality is, Seth didn’t get good enough grades to get into the same college as Evan. He doesn’t like Fogell as much as Seth – and in Evan’s heart, he knows that Seth will always be his best friend, but he’s terrified of being alone at College and has begun the process of making friends with Fogell because Seth is terrified of being alone. In Fogell’s mind – Seth and Evan are cool. Fogell feels Fogell is cool, because he’s in the same group with Seth and Evan. Seth makes fun of Fogell, but Fogell knows that’s just how Seth is, but he also knows that Evan is a good guy and a good friend. But Fogell believes he can be so much more. He knows he’s looked down upon, but Fogell is taking the steps to reinvent himself. Something that he’s anxious to do once he is in college, he will soon become McLovin and then the world will be his bitch. Awwww, yeah. Now – because this is a TEEN SEX COMEDY – the overall drive of the film is “Getting Laid.” In this film, that is facilitated by the acquisition of alcohol – a substance that Seth and Evan have decided to take on. I.e.… they’ve told their dream girls, that they’ll be bringing the booze to this “almost graduated” party at Jules’ house. Who is Jules? Well, she’s played by Emma Stone – and she’s the object of Jonah Hill’s affections. Becca (Martha MacIsaac) is the object of Michael Cera’s affections. And McLovin is setting his lasers on the hottie Nicola, played by the uberhot redhead, Aviva. This group of friends are about to set off on a quest, that will lead them on a very interesting path. Especially McLovin. You see, McLovin ends up in the backseat of a police car. Usually the chair of hell for any underage teen who has attempted to purchase alcohol. HOWEVER… The cops driving this car… Bill Hader and Seth Rogan. Well… They’re the coolest most irresponsible insane fucking cops ever. They’re cops – if geeks could become cops. And they’re the sort of geek cops that… well… you’ll have to experience for yourself. I’ve given you a brief, somewhat, look at the key characters in this film. The plot isn’t miraculous. However – the comedy and character performances are all 100% perfect. I laughed so hard – but a good portion of that hilarity springs from just how true the material is that is being drawn upon for the comedy. It feels right. Do Seth, Evan and Fogell get laid? Is that really what they wanted? Is there more to it than that? Is this the pivotal night of their lives? Well, for one it is. The director of the film, Greg Mottola has one other film on his filmography and a lot of TV. But if you saw THE DAYTRIPPERS – it indicated a very strong talent for humor – here – combined with the writing of Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg… and the fantastic casting of all the key parts mentioned – leaves us with a teen comedy that is absolutely hilarious… and better than that, quite a bit true. SUPERBAD is one of the best times you’ll have this summer.