| Written by Jan James Stetter, on 12-06-2007 14:20 |
Media Maven: "Knocked Up" Movie Review
The Cincy Chic Media Maven, Jan Stetter, reviews "Knocked Up." She explains why she thought this comedic, yet crass, maternity-minded movie had trouble delivering.
Knocked Up
Katherine Heigl, Seth Rosen, Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd
"Surprisingly funny," "engaging" and "heartwarming" are just a few of
the adjectives used by promoters and critics to describe this film.
Knocked Up is the latest work of Judd Apatow, who wrote and directed
this film. Apatow takes the premise of an innocent one night stand and
the ensuing pregnancy through the stages of anger, denial, depression
and acceptance. Starring Katherine Hiegel of Grey’s Anatomy and Seth
Rogen of The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Apatow links these two unlikely people
(one gorgeous blonde and one overweight, listless, stoner) by a twist
of fate. Katherine Hiegel proves she has comedic timing. And Seth
Rogen’s character isn’t much of a stretch as he plays the same
socially-challenged type from Apatow’s last movie.
Yes, it is funny. Yes, it is engaging in showing how real things - such
as unexpected pregnancies - happen. It is heartwarming to see a film
where we hope all the characters live happily ever after. But Knocked
Up also is crude and strewn with vulgarity. Its raunchy dialogue
overshadows any chance of sweetness to redeem it. Appealing to people
who must use the F word for every kind of descriptive adjective —this
movie got laughs!
Which brings me to this question: Why do actors use such language to
“assist their craft” in movies yet, on TV they perform without use of
such crass dialogue? Case in point: In this film Hiegle and Rogen are
arguing and she repeatedly shouts to him “Get the F out of my car!” Her
character on Grey’s Anatomy lost her fiancée whose body rejected a
donated heart. That was a real tear jerker and it encompassed several
episodes. Not once did Heigel’s character shout “Why the F did this
have to happen?” Hmmmm...
The premise behind Knocked Up is all too recognizable; think King of
Queens Leah Remini and Kevin James, The Honeymooners Jackie Gleason and
Shelia MacRae, as well as According to Jim’s Jim Belushi and Courtney
Thorne-Smith. In the telling of this story, the ensemble cast, the plot
and the director’s small daughters all serve to give this movie a sense
of the familiar. Leslie Mann (Jeff Apatow’s real life wife) plays so
convincingly the stereotype of the wife who is bored with her marriage
and suspicious of her husband’s fidelity. Paul Rudd, as her husband,
does a great job in portraying marriage as a lifelong sitcom with no
ending.
Fans of director Judd Apatow’s 40 Year-Old Virgin will identify with
the tender-hearted and at times irreverent moments in this film. With
all his standard ducks lined in a row, Apatow was given an opportunity
to make a comedy with merit. Instead he handed us a mediocre story
called Knocked Up.
Should anything more be expected with a movie title like that?
Rating: Three Chic Stars
Jan’s Movie Rating System:
5 - Top notch entertainment
4 - Compelling, Heartwarming, Thrilling, Comical
3 - The a) story b) actors c) special effects saved/made this movie.
2 - If you are bored watch it, or wait for DVD
1 - Don’t bother. Too morose, too violent, too blasé, an enigma.
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