The "Retro Game Reviews" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
It is rare that a film grips me by the funny bone from the opening credits, but Greg Mottola's "Superbad" does just that - a snazzy, retro-style credits sequence garnered a smile from me, and was just the first of many highly enjoyable moments in this film. The title of this film was undoubtedly a huge gamble, and if this film proved to be horrendously bad, the jibes from critics would start pouring in, but alas, I would deem Superbad to be one of the greatest comedies of the last decade, and perhaps further still.
As evidenced by the smash hit Knocked Up earlier this year, Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and anyone else in their clique that I've neglected to mention, all seem to have a superb knack for dialogue that is not only insanely quotable, but also immensely authentic-sounding. Naturally these written lines would be nothing without the superb actors spouting them, but it's rare to see such a verisimilitude in films of the this ilk. Much of the dialogue is crude, but the writers get away with it because it has an intellectual undertone, a noted example of which is two characters discussing the cinematic merits of pornography
The two protagonists of Superbad are Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Arrested Development's excellent Michael Cera), two socially inept teenagers who, just as we all have at some stage, are attempting to appear far cooler than they actually are, and perhaps "score some chicks" along the way. Seth and Evan's diatribes are essentially honest discussions of things we'd all like to say, but are too socially-informed to do so. Their rapport is thrilling to watch, and the chemistry between these two youngsters is both refreshing and smart, even throwing in obscure references, from Orson Welles to Saved By The Bell's Zack Morris.
Hill and Cera's characters are also wonderfully complimentary - Hill's Seth is the crude, considerably more pronounced character, whose primary objective in Superbad is to get drunk, get the girl he pines for drunk, and proceed to have sex with her. Cera, conversely, is the somewhat repressed, sweet, Bambi-like teenager, although we're never dragged too far away from the fact that he's a red-blooded teenager like anyone else, as he's caught staring at a girl's chest in class. They both attempt to appear cool and confident, particularly around the opposite sex, fabricating stories to that effect, with predictably amusing results. That said, they do manage to forge something resembling a connection with some girls, and whilst it did seem a little easy for them, I'll let them off for two reasons - the film would be boring otherwise, and the rest of the film is so slickly made.
It isn't long before Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) arrives on the scene, a character who has, through what is simply brilliant marketing, become better known as "McLovin", the name that he has printed on his fake I.D. This cult-hero is a slight-looking, nerdy individual whose voice has yet to break properly, yet he is ever-confident in himself, which leads to some pretty hilarious results. As can be expected, in his interactions with women, he makes a big deal out of nothing, and is rather hilariously referred to as the "anti-poon". McLovin is more of an ancillary character, and has his own diverging subplot, but he is no less of a gem than the other characters in this film. More to the point, he is something of a comic icon, and as far as his name goes, you may as well forget that he was even named Fogell, because McLovin is the moniker he will be remembered for.
You may be slightly miffed to see that Superbad runs a good 10-to-15 minutes longer than your archetypal 90-minute comedy, but this is time well-spent, as screenwriters Rogen and Goldberg use it to develop these characters in greater detail. In one instance, Seth declares that he is compelled to draw male genitalia sporadically, and we are subsequently treated to a lengthy flashback to his childhood to that effect. It's wildly hilarious, and whilst it's not majorly important in a film such as this, it helps us understand the characters, and furthermore, the face that Cera pulls when the flashback ends is gold.
Superbad is a mixture of rather blurred morals, but these two kids have such a sweetness about them (particularly Cera's character), such a "the little nerds that could" vibe that we don't care. Evan and Seth (moreso Seth than Evan) wish to get some girls drunk in order to sleep with them, yet their student-esque morals of "if we're drunk also then it's alright" put things in order.
If nothing else, this is a film written by young men for young men (although that doesn't mean other ages and genders cannot enjoy it), and at many junctures offers an insight into the thought processes of these people (which may provide an extra appeal to females). Furthermore, Superbad, with a surprising level of accuracy, relays a level of awkwardness that many, if not all males have experienced at this age. Underneath all of the comic jibes, there are a few subtle messages that serve as important lessons for the youngsters of today. As Seth and Evan implement their plans to "score", Evan is shown carrying a condom, whilst a shocked Seth is the counterpoint to this, and the distinguishing between the two is a clever way of reinforcing lessons such as this.
There are a wealth of wonderful side-characters thrown into the mix here and there, ranging from a nihilist convenience store worker, to a shady criminal gatecrasher, to two inept police officers (Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) who delve into a lengthy subplot with McLovin. In fact, McLovin and these officers build up a rather truthful rapport that almost serves as a mutual bonding session - the cops see a little of themselves in McLovin, and he learns a few life lessons from them. This ensemble of minor characters, namely the two cops, add a great deal to an already excellent film.
As can be expected, Seth and Evan's co-dependency does ultimately become a problem, and their friendship is thoroughly tested through the hurdles placed in their path. In a heated argument, they clear the air by both delivering (and learning) some home truths, and you can't help but feel bad for both of these youngsters, namely thanks to the incredibly realistic dialogue - I have many friends that I could imagine talking this way. Both Seth and Evan raise valid points - Seth is selfish (he is angry that Evan is going to a different University), whilst Evan sugar-coats the truth, and only in this time of contention does he choose to raise a whole host of other issues that have supposedly been irking him for a while.
Fortunately, this spat is never made into a messy, reflective melodrama - there are other films I can watch for that. Generally speaking, before they can reflect on the arguments that occur, Evan and Seth are thrown headlong into another caper, more often than not on the run from someone, be it drug addicts, party animals or the cops. There's this constant back-and-forth sea-saw dynamic from seriousness to levity, and it works very effectively - it never lingers too long or gets too bogged down in serious issues.
These feelings of awkwardness are superbly apparent as these three friends all converge onto their "targets" at an alcohol-fuelled party. It's very American Pie-esque in nature, but it's a lot smarter. In the proceeding running time, you learn to root for these characters, the underdogs that they are, and whether they succeed or fail, whichever stages of undress they get to, predictably or not, it's all wildly entertaining stuff. The final scene is somewhat predictable, but because of how impressively this film takes the teen comedy and melds it with a degree of intellect, I'm prepared to simply look past it. Furthermore, the film's end doesn't linger on sentimentality and in a sense is fairly open-ended. It would have been very easy to pull the John Hughes-esque "Fogell went on to become a cop" shtick, but Rogen and Goldberg showed a degree of restraint, and that is, in my book, highly respectable.
Of the thematically-linked trilogy (otherwise including The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) from this group of extremely talented individuals, I would deem Superbad to be the most consistent, hilarious, and even intriguing of the series. Speaking as a 19-year old male, I undoubtedly found this far more relatable than the aforementioned titles, and so I wouldn't be shocked to hear a 25-or-30 year old profess much more praise for Knocked Up, for instance. Superbad is crude, there's no eluding that fact, but it's a rare kind of intellectual crudeness that lets you know some thought went behind this script. By its end, the film has a poignant tone, but remains true to itself in never embellishing the seriousness of the situation.
All in all, Superbad is a 110-minute belly-laugh, and I would deem it to be one of the most honest films ever made in regard to those awkward teenage years, and all of the sex, drugs and alcohol that accompany them.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
As evidenced by the smash hit Knocked Up earlier this year, Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and anyone else in their clique that I've neglected to mention, all seem to have a superb knack for dialogue that is not only insanely quotable, but also immensely authentic-sounding. Naturally these written lines would be nothing without the superb actors spouting them, but it's rare to see such a verisimilitude in films of the this ilk. Much of the dialogue is crude, but the writers get away with it because it has an intellectual undertone, a noted example of which is two characters discussing the cinematic merits of pornography
The two protagonists of Superbad are Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Arrested Development's excellent Michael Cera), two socially inept teenagers who, just as we all have at some stage, are attempting to appear far cooler than they actually are, and perhaps "score some chicks" along the way. Seth and Evan's diatribes are essentially honest discussions of things we'd all like to say, but are too socially-informed to do so. Their rapport is thrilling to watch, and the chemistry between these two youngsters is both refreshing and smart, even throwing in obscure references, from Orson Welles to Saved By The Bell's Zack Morris.
Hill and Cera's characters are also wonderfully complimentary - Hill's Seth is the crude, considerably more pronounced character, whose primary objective in Superbad is to get drunk, get the girl he pines for drunk, and proceed to have sex with her. Cera, conversely, is the somewhat repressed, sweet, Bambi-like teenager, although we're never dragged too far away from the fact that he's a red-blooded teenager like anyone else, as he's caught staring at a girl's chest in class. They both attempt to appear cool and confident, particularly around the opposite sex, fabricating stories to that effect, with predictably amusing results. That said, they do manage to forge something resembling a connection with some girls, and whilst it did seem a little easy for them, I'll let them off for two reasons - the film would be boring otherwise, and the rest of the film is so slickly made.
It isn't long before Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) arrives on the scene, a character who has, through what is simply brilliant marketing, become better known as "McLovin", the name that he has printed on his fake I.D. This cult-hero is a slight-looking, nerdy individual whose voice has yet to break properly, yet he is ever-confident in himself, which leads to some pretty hilarious results. As can be expected, in his interactions with women, he makes a big deal out of nothing, and is rather hilariously referred to as the "anti-poon". McLovin is more of an ancillary character, and has his own diverging subplot, but he is no less of a gem than the other characters in this film. More to the point, he is something of a comic icon, and as far as his name goes, you may as well forget that he was even named Fogell, because McLovin is the moniker he will be remembered for.
You may be slightly miffed to see that Superbad runs a good 10-to-15 minutes longer than your archetypal 90-minute comedy, but this is time well-spent, as screenwriters Rogen and Goldberg use it to develop these characters in greater detail. In one instance, Seth declares that he is compelled to draw male genitalia sporadically, and we are subsequently treated to a lengthy flashback to his childhood to that effect. It's wildly hilarious, and whilst it's not majorly important in a film such as this, it helps us understand the characters, and furthermore, the face that Cera pulls when the flashback ends is gold.
Superbad is a mixture of rather blurred morals, but these two kids have such a sweetness about them (particularly Cera's character), such a "the little nerds that could" vibe that we don't care. Evan and Seth (moreso Seth than Evan) wish to get some girls drunk in order to sleep with them, yet their student-esque morals of "if we're drunk also then it's alright" put things in order.
If nothing else, this is a film written by young men for young men (although that doesn't mean other ages and genders cannot enjoy it), and at many junctures offers an insight into the thought processes of these people (which may provide an extra appeal to females). Furthermore, Superbad, with a surprising level of accuracy, relays a level of awkwardness that many, if not all males have experienced at this age. Underneath all of the comic jibes, there are a few subtle messages that serve as important lessons for the youngsters of today. As Seth and Evan implement their plans to "score", Evan is shown carrying a condom, whilst a shocked Seth is the counterpoint to this, and the distinguishing between the two is a clever way of reinforcing lessons such as this.
There are a wealth of wonderful side-characters thrown into the mix here and there, ranging from a nihilist convenience store worker, to a shady criminal gatecrasher, to two inept police officers (Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) who delve into a lengthy subplot with McLovin. In fact, McLovin and these officers build up a rather truthful rapport that almost serves as a mutual bonding session - the cops see a little of themselves in McLovin, and he learns a few life lessons from them. This ensemble of minor characters, namely the two cops, add a great deal to an already excellent film.
As can be expected, Seth and Evan's co-dependency does ultimately become a problem, and their friendship is thoroughly tested through the hurdles placed in their path. In a heated argument, they clear the air by both delivering (and learning) some home truths, and you can't help but feel bad for both of these youngsters, namely thanks to the incredibly realistic dialogue - I have many friends that I could imagine talking this way. Both Seth and Evan raise valid points - Seth is selfish (he is angry that Evan is going to a different University), whilst Evan sugar-coats the truth, and only in this time of contention does he choose to raise a whole host of other issues that have supposedly been irking him for a while.
Fortunately, this spat is never made into a messy, reflective melodrama - there are other films I can watch for that. Generally speaking, before they can reflect on the arguments that occur, Evan and Seth are thrown headlong into another caper, more often than not on the run from someone, be it drug addicts, party animals or the cops. There's this constant back-and-forth sea-saw dynamic from seriousness to levity, and it works very effectively - it never lingers too long or gets too bogged down in serious issues.
These feelings of awkwardness are superbly apparent as these three friends all converge onto their "targets" at an alcohol-fuelled party. It's very American Pie-esque in nature, but it's a lot smarter. In the proceeding running time, you learn to root for these characters, the underdogs that they are, and whether they succeed or fail, whichever stages of undress they get to, predictably or not, it's all wildly entertaining stuff. The final scene is somewhat predictable, but because of how impressively this film takes the teen comedy and melds it with a degree of intellect, I'm prepared to simply look past it. Furthermore, the film's end doesn't linger on sentimentality and in a sense is fairly open-ended. It would have been very easy to pull the John Hughes-esque "Fogell went on to become a cop" shtick, but Rogen and Goldberg showed a degree of restraint, and that is, in my book, highly respectable.
Of the thematically-linked trilogy (otherwise including The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) from this group of extremely talented individuals, I would deem Superbad to be the most consistent, hilarious, and even intriguing of the series. Speaking as a 19-year old male, I undoubtedly found this far more relatable than the aforementioned titles, and so I wouldn't be shocked to hear a 25-or-30 year old profess much more praise for Knocked Up, for instance. Superbad is crude, there's no eluding that fact, but it's a rare kind of intellectual crudeness that lets you know some thought went behind this script. By its end, the film has a poignant tone, but remains true to itself in never embellishing the seriousness of the situation.
All in all, Superbad is a 110-minute belly-laugh, and I would deem it to be one of the most honest films ever made in regard to those awkward teenage years, and all of the sex, drugs and alcohol that accompany them.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
It was alright...
Nothing special, and not very true to teenage life, but reasonably funny in places.
I'd give it a 6 or 7 out of ten, and say that Knocked Up is a far funnier alternative.
Nothing special, and not very true to teenage life, but reasonably funny in places.
I'd give it a 6 or 7 out of ten, and say that Knocked Up is a far funnier alternative.
It is rare that a film grips me by the funny bone from the opening credits, but Greg Mottola's "Superbad" does just that - a snazzy, retro-style credits sequence garnered a smile from me, and was just the first of many highly enjoyable moments in this film. The title of this film was undoubtedly a huge gamble, and if this film proved to be horrendously bad, the jibes from critics would start pouring in, but alas, I would deem Superbad to be one of the greatest comedies of the last decade, and perhaps further still.
As evidenced by the smash hit Knocked Up earlier this year, Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and anyone else in their clique that I've neglected to mention, all seem to have a superb knack for dialogue that is not only insanely quotable, but also immensely authentic-sounding. Naturally these written lines would be nothing without the superb actors spouting them, but it's rare to see such a verisimilitude in films of the this ilk. Much of the dialogue is crude, but the writers get away with it because it has an intellectual undertone, a noted example of which is two characters discussing the cinematic merits of pornography
The two protagonists of Superbad are Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Arrested Development's excellent Michael Cera), two socially inept teenagers who, just as we all have at some stage, are attempting to appear far cooler than they actually are, and perhaps "score some chicks" along the way. Seth and Evan's diatribes are essentially honest discussions of things we'd all like to say, but are too socially-informed to do so. Their rapport is thrilling to watch, and the chemistry between these two youngsters is both refreshing and smart, even throwing in obscure references, from Orson Welles to Saved By The Bell's Zack Morris.
Hill and Cera's characters are also wonderfully complimentary - Hill's Seth is the crude, considerably more pronounced character, whose primary objective in Superbad is to get drunk, get the girl he pines for drunk, and proceed to have sex with her. Cera, conversely, is the somewhat repressed, sweet, Bambi-like teenager, although we're never dragged too far away from the fact that he's a red-blooded teenager like anyone else, as he's caught staring at a girl's chest in class. They both attempt to appear cool and confident, particularly around the opposite sex, fabricating stories to that effect, with predictably amusing results. That said, they do manage to forge something resembling a connection with some girls, and whilst it did seem a little easy for them, I'll let them off for two reasons - the film would be boring otherwise, and the rest of the film is so slickly made.
It isn't long before Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) arrives on the scene, a character who has, through what is simply brilliant marketing, become better known as "McLovin", the name that he has printed on his fake I.D. This cult-hero is a slight-looking, nerdy individual whose voice has yet to break properly, yet he is ever-confident in himself, which leads to some pretty hilarious results. As can be expected, in his interactions with women, he makes a big deal out of nothing, and is rather hilariously referred to as the "anti-poon". McLovin is more of an ancillary character, and has his own diverging subplot, but he is no less of a gem than the other characters in this film. More to the point, he is something of a comic icon, and as far as his name goes, you may as well forget that he was even named Fogell, because McLovin is the moniker he will be remembered for.
You may be slightly miffed to see that Superbad runs a good 10-to-15 minutes longer than your archetypal 90-minute comedy, but this is time well-spent, as screenwriters Rogen and Goldberg use it to develop these characters in greater detail. In one instance, Seth declares that he is compelled to draw male genitalia sporadically, and we are subsequently treated to a lengthy flashback to his childhood to that effect. It's wildly hilarious, and whilst it's not majorly important in a film such as this, it helps us understand the characters, and furthermore, the face that Cera pulls when the flashback ends is gold.
Superbad is a mixture of rather blurred morals, but these two kids have such a sweetness about them (particularly Cera's character), such a "the little nerds that could" vibe that we don't care. Evan and Seth (moreso Seth than Evan) wish to get some girls drunk in order to sleep with them, yet their student-esque morals of "if we're drunk also then it's alright" put things in order.
If nothing else, this is a film written by young men for young men (although that doesn't mean other ages and genders cannot enjoy it), and at many junctures offers an insight into the thought processes of these people (which may provide an extra appeal to females). Furthermore, Superbad, with a surprising level of accuracy, relays a level of awkwardness that many, if not all males have experienced at this age. Underneath all of the comic jibes, there are a few subtle messages that serve as important lessons for the youngsters of today. As Seth and Evan implement their plans to "score", Evan is shown carrying a condom, whilst a shocked Seth is the counterpoint to this, and the distinguishing between the two is a clever way of reinforcing lessons such as this.
There are a wealth of wonderful side-characters thrown into the mix here and there, ranging from a nihilist convenience store worker, to a shady criminal gatecrasher, to two inept police officers (Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) who delve into a lengthy subplot with McLovin. In fact, McLovin and these officers build up a rather truthful rapport that almost serves as a mutual bonding session - the cops see a little of themselves in McLovin, and he learns a few life lessons from them. This ensemble of minor characters, namely the two cops, add a great deal to an already excellent film.
As can be expected, Seth and Evan's co-dependency does ultimately become a problem, and their friendship is thoroughly tested through the hurdles placed in their path. In a heated argument, they clear the air by both delivering (and learning) some home truths, and you can't help but feel bad for both of these youngsters, namely thanks to the incredibly realistic dialogue - I have many friends that I could imagine talking this way. Both Seth and Evan raise valid points - Seth is selfish (he is angry that Evan is going to a different University), whilst Evan sugar-coats the truth, and only in this time of contention does he choose to raise a whole host of other issues that have supposedly been irking him for a while.
Fortunately, this spat is never made into a messy, reflective melodrama - there are other films I can watch for that. Generally speaking, before they can reflect on the arguments that occur, Evan and Seth are thrown headlong into another caper, more often than not on the run from someone, be it drug addicts, party animals or the cops. There's this constant back-and-forth sea-saw dynamic from seriousness to levity, and it works very effectively - it never lingers too long or gets too bogged down in serious issues.
These feelings of awkwardness are superbly apparent as these three friends all converge onto their "targets" at an alcohol-fuelled party. It's very American Pie-esque in nature, but it's a lot smarter. In the proceeding running time, you learn to root for these characters, the underdogs that they are, and whether they succeed or fail, whichever stages of undress they get to, predictably or not, it's all wildly entertaining stuff. The final scene is somewhat predictable, but because of how impressively this film takes the teen comedy and melds it with a degree of intellect, I'm prepared to simply look past it. Furthermore, the film's end doesn't linger on sentimentality and in a sense is fairly open-ended. It would have been very easy to pull the John Hughes-esque "Fogell went on to become a cop" shtick, but Rogen and Goldberg showed a degree of restraint, and that is, in my book, highly respectable.
Of the thematically-linked trilogy (otherwise including The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) from this group of extremely talented individuals, I would deem Superbad to be the most consistent, hilarious, and even intriguing of the series. Speaking as a 19-year old male, I undoubtedly found this far more relatable than the aforementioned titles, and so I wouldn't be shocked to hear a 25-or-30 year old profess much more praise for Knocked Up, for instance. Superbad is crude, there's no eluding that fact, but it's a rare kind of intellectual crudeness that lets you know some thought went behind this script. By its end, the film has a poignant tone, but remains true to itself in never embellishing the seriousness of the situation.
All in all, Superbad is a 110-minute belly-laugh, and I would deem it to be one of the most honest films ever made in regard to those awkward teenage years, and all of the sex, drugs and alcohol that accompany them.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
As evidenced by the smash hit Knocked Up earlier this year, Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and anyone else in their clique that I've neglected to mention, all seem to have a superb knack for dialogue that is not only insanely quotable, but also immensely authentic-sounding. Naturally these written lines would be nothing without the superb actors spouting them, but it's rare to see such a verisimilitude in films of the this ilk. Much of the dialogue is crude, but the writers get away with it because it has an intellectual undertone, a noted example of which is two characters discussing the cinematic merits of pornography
The two protagonists of Superbad are Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Arrested Development's excellent Michael Cera), two socially inept teenagers who, just as we all have at some stage, are attempting to appear far cooler than they actually are, and perhaps "score some chicks" along the way. Seth and Evan's diatribes are essentially honest discussions of things we'd all like to say, but are too socially-informed to do so. Their rapport is thrilling to watch, and the chemistry between these two youngsters is both refreshing and smart, even throwing in obscure references, from Orson Welles to Saved By The Bell's Zack Morris.
Hill and Cera's characters are also wonderfully complimentary - Hill's Seth is the crude, considerably more pronounced character, whose primary objective in Superbad is to get drunk, get the girl he pines for drunk, and proceed to have sex with her. Cera, conversely, is the somewhat repressed, sweet, Bambi-like teenager, although we're never dragged too far away from the fact that he's a red-blooded teenager like anyone else, as he's caught staring at a girl's chest in class. They both attempt to appear cool and confident, particularly around the opposite sex, fabricating stories to that effect, with predictably amusing results. That said, they do manage to forge something resembling a connection with some girls, and whilst it did seem a little easy for them, I'll let them off for two reasons - the film would be boring otherwise, and the rest of the film is so slickly made.
It isn't long before Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) arrives on the scene, a character who has, through what is simply brilliant marketing, become better known as "McLovin", the name that he has printed on his fake I.D. This cult-hero is a slight-looking, nerdy individual whose voice has yet to break properly, yet he is ever-confident in himself, which leads to some pretty hilarious results. As can be expected, in his interactions with women, he makes a big deal out of nothing, and is rather hilariously referred to as the "anti-poon". McLovin is more of an ancillary character, and has his own diverging subplot, but he is no less of a gem than the other characters in this film. More to the point, he is something of a comic icon, and as far as his name goes, you may as well forget that he was even named Fogell, because McLovin is the moniker he will be remembered for.
You may be slightly miffed to see that Superbad runs a good 10-to-15 minutes longer than your archetypal 90-minute comedy, but this is time well-spent, as screenwriters Rogen and Goldberg use it to develop these characters in greater detail. In one instance, Seth declares that he is compelled to draw male genitalia sporadically, and we are subsequently treated to a lengthy flashback to his childhood to that effect. It's wildly hilarious, and whilst it's not majorly important in a film such as this, it helps us understand the characters, and furthermore, the face that Cera pulls when the flashback ends is gold.
Superbad is a mixture of rather blurred morals, but these two kids have such a sweetness about them (particularly Cera's character), such a "the little nerds that could" vibe that we don't care. Evan and Seth (moreso Seth than Evan) wish to get some girls drunk in order to sleep with them, yet their student-esque morals of "if we're drunk also then it's alright" put things in order.
If nothing else, this is a film written by young men for young men (although that doesn't mean other ages and genders cannot enjoy it), and at many junctures offers an insight into the thought processes of these people (which may provide an extra appeal to females). Furthermore, Superbad, with a surprising level of accuracy, relays a level of awkwardness that many, if not all males have experienced at this age. Underneath all of the comic jibes, there are a few subtle messages that serve as important lessons for the youngsters of today. As Seth and Evan implement their plans to "score", Evan is shown carrying a condom, whilst a shocked Seth is the counterpoint to this, and the distinguishing between the two is a clever way of reinforcing lessons such as this.
There are a wealth of wonderful side-characters thrown into the mix here and there, ranging from a nihilist convenience store worker, to a shady criminal gatecrasher, to two inept police officers (Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) who delve into a lengthy subplot with McLovin. In fact, McLovin and these officers build up a rather truthful rapport that almost serves as a mutual bonding session - the cops see a little of themselves in McLovin, and he learns a few life lessons from them. This ensemble of minor characters, namely the two cops, add a great deal to an already excellent film.
As can be expected, Seth and Evan's co-dependency does ultimately become a problem, and their friendship is thoroughly tested through the hurdles placed in their path. In a heated argument, they clear the air by both delivering (and learning) some home truths, and you can't help but feel bad for both of these youngsters, namely thanks to the incredibly realistic dialogue - I have many friends that I could imagine talking this way. Both Seth and Evan raise valid points - Seth is selfish (he is angry that Evan is going to a different University), whilst Evan sugar-coats the truth, and only in this time of contention does he choose to raise a whole host of other issues that have supposedly been irking him for a while.
Fortunately, this spat is never made into a messy, reflective melodrama - there are other films I can watch for that. Generally speaking, before they can reflect on the arguments that occur, Evan and Seth are thrown headlong into another caper, more often than not on the run from someone, be it drug addicts, party animals or the cops. There's this constant back-and-forth sea-saw dynamic from seriousness to levity, and it works very effectively - it never lingers too long or gets too bogged down in serious issues.
These feelings of awkwardness are superbly apparent as these three friends all converge onto their "targets" at an alcohol-fuelled party. It's very American Pie-esque in nature, but it's a lot smarter. In the proceeding running time, you learn to root for these characters, the underdogs that they are, and whether they succeed or fail, whichever stages of undress they get to, predictably or not, it's all wildly entertaining stuff. The final scene is somewhat predictable, but because of how impressively this film takes the teen comedy and melds it with a degree of intellect, I'm prepared to simply look past it. Furthermore, the film's end doesn't linger on sentimentality and in a sense is fairly open-ended. It would have been very easy to pull the John Hughes-esque "Fogell went on to become a cop" shtick, but Rogen and Goldberg showed a degree of restraint, and that is, in my book, highly respectable.
Of the thematically-linked trilogy (otherwise including The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) from this group of extremely talented individuals, I would deem Superbad to be the most consistent, hilarious, and even intriguing of the series. Speaking as a 19-year old male, I undoubtedly found this far more relatable than the aforementioned titles, and so I wouldn't be shocked to hear a 25-or-30 year old profess much more praise for Knocked Up, for instance. Superbad is crude, there's no eluding that fact, but it's a rare kind of intellectual crudeness that lets you know some thought went behind this script. By its end, the film has a poignant tone, but remains true to itself in never embellishing the seriousness of the situation.
All in all, Superbad is a 110-minute belly-laugh, and I would deem it to be one of the most honest films ever made in regard to those awkward teenage years, and all of the sex, drugs and alcohol that accompany them.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer