I finally caught up with one of the big comedy hits of 2008, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. I had nothing to lose since it aired on HBO and I had a few hours to kill. I was pleasantly surprised. As a matter of fact, I would have to say that only "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" is a better Apatow film than this one. For me, this worked better than "Knocked Up" or even "Superbad."
Director Nicholas Stoller adheres closely to the Apatow playbook, which I will admit is starting to get a little stale. Once again, it's the loser boy-man as the star of the show, here played by the loveable and doughy Jason Segel. The team takes the common, relatable theme of getting over being dumped and takes an approach that combines modern, sexually-explicit comedy with old-fashioned screwball movies. The result, to me, was a delight.
As all of you who have seen the film already know, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL developed its reputation largely around the use of full-frontal male nudity, something that is not as common in films. The shock of seeing Jason Segal naked (and may I add that he is a BRAVE actor...kudos!) overpowers what I think is actually a moment of comic genius -- using the male body to play for laugh both visually and situationally. To have Segal naked in the opening scene of the film and to repeatedly show everything takes "sight gag" to a whole new level. It was hilarious, and it worked.
The supporting cast also worked for me, particularly Russell Brand, which is a good thing because up until now, I have found him to be nothing short of obnoxious and unfunny. The "Apatow Players" (Paul Rudd, et. al.) make requisite appearances as well, and they all work.
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is the kind of movie that I would stop to watch if it was on HBO (and it will be again, many times). It's a film that is easy and fun to watch, and you could tune in to it at any moment and not have to wait but a second or two for a moment of outrageous comedy. A pleasant surprise!
3.5 out of 4
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