Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I have seen a ton of movies over the last few days, but have been slacking on posting any reviews because… well, I’m just tired. I’ve been going almost non-stop since Sundance in January, so I’ve been getting a full night’s sleep for the last few days.

Now I’m back on the wagon and ready to play catch up. Bring it on!

I know it’s not an indie flick, but FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL was one of my most anticipated movies at SXSW just because I am such an unapologetic fanboy of everything Judd Apatow has a hand in. When I did the big interview with the cast, director and producer one of the first things I picked up on was the energy of all those individuals gathered together as a whole. Jokes were started by one person and ended by another, a comedic back and forth that was electric in person and what I hoped translated to the finished film.

And it did.

Likable is probably the one word I’d use to describe the film. Everything about it is likable. Jason Segel is likable, Mila Kunis is unbelievably likable (and sexier than I expected… and let me tell you, I expected sexy), the story, the direction, the pacing… it all flows effortlessly.

Now, I will say that the movie doesn’t feel as fresh as either KNOCKED UP or SUPERBAD, but the laughs are just as fast and furious.

Yeah, Mila Kunis, Jason Segel, Bill Hader and Kristen Bell are all great, as expected, but what made me really happy was the supporting cast being so funny. All the bit players like 30 ROCK’s Jack McBrayer, the Hawaiian residents like the awesome fat dude that has the “Are those sad tissues or happy tissues?” , the cameos like Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd… they all are top notch, adding detail to what could be a one note movie. “Average guy has a hard break-up with his celebrity girlfriend. He escapes to Hawaii to get over her and ends up staying at the same resort as her.” Not an overly complicated set-up, but that’s not a bad thing. That’s Apatow’s group’s secret. Kids need to get beer. One night stand turns into a pregnancy. A 40 Year Old Man has not had sex.

It’s always the character work and the willingness to unashamedly go for the raunchy joke that gives the Apatow group it’s personality and FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL has that personality. And heart, which is another key component to Apatow’s comedy formula.

No one really steals the movie. Jack McBrayer and Russell Brand come close, however it’s not a one-person show. Everybody has their moment. Kunis is funny, but she really becomes the sweetheart of the flick. Segel shows he can carry a film. And I think Russell Brand will become a household name in the very near future.

And let’s not forget credit for director Nick Stoller. I know that people like Stoller and Greg Mottola often get overlooked on these projects, which are always more associated with Judd Apatow than with the directors, but Stoller deserves a lot of props for shaping this film.

The audience was in love with this movie… It showed at the Paramount Theater here in Austin. While it’s not the most comfortable theater to watch a movie in, it is a grand old movie palace, complete with balcony and Abraham Lincoln box seats, that sits something like 1600 people. Hearing that many people howling with laughter is amazing and it was one of those comedy screenings where you couldn’t hear the dialogue for about 15 seconds after the big laughs.

It was a great experience and one that will fit comfortably on the DVD shelf with the string of awesome Apatow productions.

-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com