You know that post I made a months weeks back where I preemptively declared that "Ellen Page sucks," just so that I'd be ahead of the curve? Let's put it this way - if I put up another that said "Judd Apatow sucks," I'd be about six months behind the pack.It's funny how overexposure can turn the brightest success stories into major annoyances for some. I'll admit - the usage of the phrase "brought to you by the guys from..." isn't the best way to market a movie, but it's used probably because it works pretty well. Unfortunately, it sets up this scenario where every work is compared to the work that was previously "brought to us" by the same makers.
So, blogs and message boards and SOCIETY IN GENERAL are currently crammed with opinions ranging from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall is worse than X, but better than Y" to "X makes Sarah Marshall look like Beaches."
I realized that for most people (and myself), we aren't sick of Judd Apatow, or of films brought to us in some way, shape or form by Mr. Ubiquitous. No, we're sick of talking about him, and that negativity spreads to the films. It's a shame, really, because each and every one of them (okay, except for Drillbit Taylor) stands far above any other comedy that's been put out in the last three years (short of Hot Fuzz; I'm going off the top of my head here). And let me tell you, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is worlds better than...
But seriously, FSM is a worthy addition to the canon. Jason Segel gives a complete performance in a role that, thanks to his writing the screenplay, feels genuine, even when some of the scenarios the characters are put into smack of sitcom. Russell Brand steals much of the show as lothario rocker Aldous Snow, a welcome surprise as the trailers made his character out to be a paper-thin cliche of rock stars in general. Vets of the Apatow brand show up (Jonah Hill, Bill Hader and Paul Rudd), all with varying degrees of necessity and success. 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer appears as a newlywed bumpkin and steals a few scenes, as does relative newcomer Davon McDonald as a no b.s. bartender. In fact, as much as the movie belongs to Segel and the three other main players (Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Brand), the inclusion of the myriad role players helped to push along the plot and up the comedy whenever the film started to lag (it clocks in at a healthy 112 minutes).
So, if you're looking for the next "this" or this year's "that," Sarah Marshall might disappoint. But if you're seeking a raucous comedy filled with fleshed-out characters, it just might make your night. (As a bonus, you'll even get a hilarious Billy Baldwin cameo, and be sure not to bolt when the credits hit for another bonus cameo.)
Fletch's Film Rating:
"Darn tootin!"
