With the exception of next year's The Dark Knight, it's been a while since a movie's trailer has gotten me so interested in see-ing it. The trailer for Superbad had plenty of laughs in it, clever acting and an appealing young cast. The problem with many movies, however, is that once they do arrive in theaters, it turns out the best scenes were all in the trailer.
I'm glad to say this isn't the case with Superbad.
As directed by Greg Mottola(Arrested Development, The Day-trippers), Superbad is a movie with its fingers in many pies: the soundtrack is retro-seventies into early eighties, as is the style of dress for lead characters Seth(Jonah Hill) and Evan(Michael Cera). Although taking place today, it's even shot in the manner of 70's drive-in films. All of this lends to a certain atmosphere of innocence, even though the kids in the film throw out swears like a sailor on shore leave.
The movie follows Seth and Evan, two high school seniors and best buds, near the edge of school's end and trepidatiously looking forward to beginning college. Evan, the brain of the duo and all-around nice guy--too nice for his own good--will be going to Dartmouth. Seth, an unkempt horndog, was accepted by a somewhat lesser school, and thus the lifelong plan for the pals to attend the same college has gone askew. To make things worse, they are the typical nerdy kids at school unnoticed by Jules(Emma Stone) and Becca(Martha MacIsaac), the girls they lust after, but of course noticed by the jock jackasses.
Fate intervenes for the pair in the unlikely form of uber-nerd Fogell(Christopher Mintz-Plasse, making his acting debut), sweet kid but 100% clueless to the fact that he's not as cool as he thinks. Fogell informs his friends that he's going to get a fake i.d., which will allow him to buy the sweet untasted heavenly manna all teens lust after--alcohol. When Seth lets it slip to his dreamgirl Jules, he wins an automatic once-in-a-lifetime invite for he and Evan to attend the party she's throwing while her parents are out of town...under the caveat that they provide the beer, of course. It then falls to the guys to urge Fogell--now under the nomenclature McLovin--to procure booze so that they can in turn A)get into the party, B)be the heroes of the day, C)get their respective ladies so shit-faced they'll have sex with them, so they can win the honor of being "that guy I shouldn't have slept with, but did".
Superbad is full of surprises, the greatest of which is discov-ery Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell/McLovin. Within his thin, bespectacled frame lies an actor brimming with comic genius. This will hopefully not be the only role he'll be known for, like what's-his-name who played Urkel, but it will more than likely be his best and most fondly recalled, years to come.
When the beer purchase plan goes awry due to the unexpec-ted pummeling McLovin endures when the liquor store is robbed, the story splits along two lines: one following Seth and Evan's attempt to obtain more alcohol and make it to the party in time to get it on with the girls, and McLovin's tale, as he is befriended by two dull-minded cops(Seth Rogan and Bill Hader) who take him under their wing.
If there is any one true fault with the movie, it's that the McLovin character is for the most part wasted--in a literary sense, not so much as the boozed-up sense(but that's there too)--during his time with the officers. It's a dicey thing for com-edy films to have police as characters relevant to the plot. A fine line is often tread between making the cops funny enough to entertain, but not making them into such outlandish buffoons that the audience is left wondering how such dimbulbs ever obtained their badges. The latter case is true in Superbad; although I initially liked the officers, after a while they begin to grate on the nerves, stealing the show from McLovin, when this part should be solely his story. McLovin's night actually comes around to telling the tale of how one young male finds a balance between holding onto his innocence, while still learning what it means to grow up. It would have just been nice if he could have done it on his own, is all.
Seth and Evan's story--which is the main thrust, after all--is more successful and by and large more entertaining. Remem-ber, this film comes from the production team behind The 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights and Knocked Up, so there is plenty of language, sexual references and of course, dick jokes. However, unlike 40 Year Old(which I enjoyed pretty much over-all) and Talladega(one of the few films in a decade that I walked out on), Superbad finds a clever and witty balance--especially in the scene where Seth reveals to Evan why he holds such rancor toward Becca. Trust me, it's a howler of an origin story.
Seth and Evan's tale also takes some detours as they under-take their quest to find booze to bring to Jules' party. For the most part, it's enjoyable...but quite a bit of it simply feels like fill-er, which is neither very humorous or riveting. Surprisingly, when the goal of making it to the party is reached, it's not the end of the movie as one might suspect. Superbad has something furth-er to say, part of it being the classic "careful what you wish for". There are lessons to learn for Seth, Evan and both of their girls as well, it turns out. The ending of the film is both poignant and--for a movie with so many references to penises--quite touching.
Superbad is more than just a comedy; it's a subtle message about growing up and having the good grace to change the things you can, accept the things you can't, and knowing the difference between the two. It is in some ways a Ferris Bueller for the new generation. It's probably going to be the surprise hit of the summer, and could very well slay the competition at the box office for a couple weeks in a row. Whatever the outcome, I have to say that without doubt the best thing remembered about the movie--aside from Seth's bizarre tale--will be McLovin, whom you just can't help but root for. He's a nerd, he's a clown, he's the underdog...and part of the reason audiences will find resonance with him in particular is because there's a little bit of McLovin in all of us.
Superbad
Revisit the '70's without ever leaving
the New Millennium...
