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Harvey Karten's Reviews

Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

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#1 of 1 Posted 4/11/08 11:11 AM

From harveykarten Posts 744 Last Nov-19
To All [Msg # 23052.1 ]

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

Universal Pictures
Reviewed for CompuServe by Harvey Karten
Grade: B
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Written By: Jason Segel
Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd
Screened at: AMC 84th St., NYC, 3/26/08
Opens: April 18, 2008

It’s disheartening to look around the theater only to discover that I’m the oldest dude in the audience. Such is to be expected when you’re dealing with a Judd Apatow, production (sigh), though I must say that there’s no reason someone a couple of generations older than the collegiate/20-something/ to which Apatow’s movies are directed should find fewer laughs. Surely people do not turn into prudes when they pass the do-not-trust-anyone-over-30 age, do they? Still, a cinephile who sees seven movies a week has been to enough comedies perhaps to judge some more severely than a kid who has been exposed only to mainstream yuck-fests. Though “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is not to be compared to the likes of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” it’s fair to put this pic in the same category as “Superbad” and “Knocked Up,” also Apatow productions, and while “Sarah” has a few belly-laughs and no small number of grins, it doesn’t come up to the high (read: low) level of his previous ventures.

While Judd Apatow’s name is the most recognizable in the crew, director Nick Stoller is no slouch either. While this is his debut at the helm, he is best known for co-writing “Fun With Dick and Jane,” featuring Jim Carrey in the title role of a man who loses his job shortly after getting a promotion. The money is gone, and the house ends up in foreclosure. Dick decides to turn to a life of crime to pay the bills with his lovely wife by his side. This time around, the screenwriter is also the movie’s star, Jason Segel—and being the leading male in an Apatow production means that you’re a schlub. Think of Seth Rogen’s starring role as Ben Stone in “Knocked Up” –who for reasons known only to the screenwriter and the guys who manufacture liquor attracts the biggest knockout in the bar one night.

Rogen is missing this time, and Jonah Hill, a player in “Superbad” and “Knocked Up” is merely a waiter with a musician’s aspirations. Can you blame the screenwriter for putting himself as numero uno? Scripter Jason Segel performs in the role of Peter Bretter, a musician who writes scores for TV shows, enjoying a five-year courtship with a TV star, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). All that is coming to an end when Peter, caught by Russ T. Alsobrook’s camera in full-frontal nudity for one second, is given the heave-ho by Sarah, who has been having a secret affair with British rock star, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). In his attempt to forget Sarah Marshall, Peter flies solo to Hawaii only to wind up in the same hotel that finds Aldous and Sarah carrying on, hot and heavy.

Luckily Peter makes the acquaintance of the equally beautiful concierge at the luxury Oahu resort, Rachael (Ukrainian-born Mila Kunis), spending more time each day with her as she has just gotten over a romance of her own. In a series of skits, Peter gets a surfing lesson from a laid-back instructor (Paul Rudd), who gives Peter a Hawaiian name; with others n the staff including a bartender originally from South Central L.A., all the while communicating by webcam with his stepbrother back home, Brian (Bill Hader).

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is a mix of broad comedy and sentiment in a ratio of four-to-one. Like the schlubby Ben Stone in “Knocked Up,” Peter is a sweet guy whose temperament trumps his looks, in a film that has no villains, although the audience will probably want Sarah to get her comeuppance for having dumped such a nice guy. Russell Brand’s Aldous is the perfect stereotype of a self-absorbed rocker while Jason Segel triumphs, especially amusing when he sends up Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway musicals, though this one is about Dracula rather than the Phantom of the Opera.

Perhaps the movie would have come across in a more dazzling way if this one had preceded “Superbad” and “Knocked Up.” Originality is gone. Still “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is well worth your time and should serve as quite a nice product placement for the Hawaii Tourist Board.

Rated R. 112 minutes. © 2008 by Harvey Karten Member: NY Film Critics Online

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Harvey Karten's Reviews

Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

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