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Superbad
Reviewed by Theo Michelfeld
Posted: August 22, 2007

The troupe of randy goofballs who created Knocked Up and The 40-Year Old Virgin are back in theaters again, this time with the clever and frequently hilarious comedy Superbad. This film’s cinematic pedigree should be endorsement enough, although when all’s said and done, it doesn’t quite meet the world-class standards set by its aforementioned forebears. No matter; compared to its thematic brethren, i.e. films of the Porky’s and American Pie ilk, Superbad is a considerable upgrade. And in any case, on its own terms, it’s a hoot. 

Superbad follows the adventures of three high school boys determined to lose their virginity before leaving home for college. Yes, it’s true, similar stories have found their way to the screen before, but as with any good genre film, the beauty of Superbad is in the details. In particular, this film’s sly de-glamorization of unhealthy teenage behavior makes for satisfying viewing if you’re looking back at your high school tribulations, and potentially cautionary viewing if you happen to be experiencing them.

Jonah Hill and Michael Cera star as best pals Seth and Evan. Seth is reckless, loud-mouthed, sex-obsessed, and apparently unable to control his use of profanity. Evan is quieter, calmer, and more self-aware, but also hampered by general teenage anxiety. Both are a long way from manhood, and each leans a little too heavily on the other in compensation for his own social inadequacies. They’re afraid of parting ways after high school, and at the same time, clearly in need of a break from each other. That co-dependence is ultimately the film’s primary theme, and the treatment is insightful and poignant throughout, in spite of all the zany roller-coaster antics. It’s a beautifully realistic portrait of teenage friendship.

Jonah Hill is good as Seth, and Michael Cera is better as Evan, but this film has a third star, a young fellow named Christopher Mintz-Plasse, whose character, Fogell, basically stole this film during the screenwriting phase and never gave it back. Fogell is a nerd among nerds, but also more Zen in his adventure-going than either Seth or Evan—he’s more willing to play along with events as they unfold, more able to deliver a line of B.S. regardless of how convincing it is, and more accepting of good fortune when it comes his way. Regardless of any social deficiencies, Fogell is a man of action, and that makes him a brilliant foil for the story’s heroes.  

At the beginning of the film, Fogell gets a fake I.D., which makes him instantly tolerable to the supposedly cooler two-man clique of Seth and Evan. For his alcohol buying identity, he has chosen the name: “McLovin,” and as the evening unfolds, and (through plot machinations too complex to recite here) he accompanies the police on various law-defiling activities, Fogell steadily finds himself living up to his assumed moniker. By film’s end he has had the night of his life, and even banked some mojo for the future, all in contrast to Seth and Evan, who have over-analyzed and over-anesthetized their way into another lonely slumber party in Evan’s basement.

Fogell delivers half of this film’s message. The other half is dramatized by Seth and Evan, who suffer throughout from some pretty useless assumptions about women, booze, and sex. Superbad isn’t necessarily an anti-alcohol film, but it certainly portrays that ingredient for the obstacle to happiness it can sometimes be. These characters, without including alcohol, are completely un-willing and unable to pursue even the girls who like them. And all that strategy gets them is drunk. It’s a pretty intelligent point for a teen sex comedy. And in a cleverly poetic ending, the two boys each get a second chance at healthy, sober, mixed-gender interaction the day after the party. All they have to do is let themselves part with each other.

Superbad is smart and touching. It’s also bawdy, at times to a fault. Like Knocked Up before it, this film is definitely determined to prove that vulgarity and insight can co-exist in the same script, and indeed in the same cinematic moment. At times the results are side-splittingly funny, but at times—and this is not true of Knocked Up—it uses profanity a bit recklessly and tiresomely. I mention this not to nit-pick, or to slap a disclaimer on my generally glowing review, but to advise viewers to stick with this film during its occasional lapses. There are witty minds at work here. Superbad will leave you smiling, not just at its end results, but at its whole potty-mouthed process.

Copyright © 2007 Theo Michelfeld