‘Superbad’ is super good movie

August 24, 2007

By JUSTIN CRIPE The Goshen News Fri Aug 24, 2007, 12:21 PM EDT

4 out of 5 maple leaves

I was told by an editor that I was going to be the first person on the planet to write a negative review of “Superbad,” but it’s just not in me. Let’s face it, the movie is awesome and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

For the uninformed, the film centers around two best friends, Evan and Seth (Michael Cera and Jonah Hill), who are cool only to themselves, yet given the task to get alcohol for the big high school graduation party being thrown by Seth’s crush, Jules (Emma Stone).

In order to do so, they call on the services of mega-dweeb Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) to use his fake ID with the alias already sweeping the nation, McLovin. But while frat guys for the next year or so will be wearing “I am McLovin” paraphernalia — much in the same way people wore “Vote for Pedro” T-shirts until they went way out of style — the true greatness of the film lies in the interaction between Seth and Evan.

Seth, who looks like a younger Seth Rogan from “Knocked Up” (who also co-wrote and starred in this film, so that was probably the look they were going for) is more crude and vulgar than his good buddy Evan. Evan is more gangly and awkward around the opposite sex. But if you don’t buy into their friendship, then this movie doesn’t work.

Due to a mishap at the liquor store, Fogell/McLovin spends the better part of the evening with two Keystone-ish cops, played by the aforementioned Rogan and Bill Hader — currently a Saturday Night Live cast member — while Evan and Seth spend most of the night taking it upon themselves to score some booze.

Part of the charm of the movie is the fact that it is very plot-based. No one is likely to have heard of any of the main characters, but you probably will soon enough. Ultimately the film is more about friendship and relationships than hooking up. Writer Judd Apatow has shown a knack for those, as he also wrote the screenplay for “Knocked Up” and “40 Year Old Virgin.”

Though the movie as a whole is hilarious, there are a few minor flaws. The McLovin thing gets old by the end of the film, as I was more interested and entertained by the Seth and Evan dynamic. I also read on the Internet that this movie is tied for 48th all time in most uses of the F-word in film history (sharing the mark with “Hustle and Flow” if you were wondering). I was willing to look past that, but not everyone is. Also the ending was a bit abrupt, but I would personally rather have it that way than too drawn out.

So while “Superbad” will definitely not win any Oscars, it will probably clean house at next year’s MTV Movie Awards, which are cooler anyway.

“Superbad,” a Columbia Pictures release, is rated R. It is 114 minutes long.

Respond: (574) 533-2151, ext. 316

justin.cripe@goshennews.com

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