Directed By: Judd Apatow (40 Year Old Virgin)
Starring:
Plot: A one night stand turns into a surprise pregnancy.
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I'd like to start off by saying , I did a Google image search for "Knocked Up" to find the above image. After realising my Google 'safe search' option was off and that I hadn't entered "movie" into the search criteria, I discovered a bizarre fetish where men want to have sex with pregnant women. Needless to say, I spent the next rew seconds frantically pressing the back button while dry retching.
At times, the film left me with the same feeling. Now wait one minute, I am not saying it sucked so don't start ranting just yet.
The lovable Seth Rogan, who plays the sperminator aka Ben Stone, is cast opposite Katherine "I'm on Grey's Anatomy" Heigl in this fun, new frat-pack style comedy. It's the first major lead role for both of them. You'll remember Rogan from the 40 Year Old Virgin, which was directed by Judd Apatow as well. (Geeze, 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon anyone?)
[Another fun factioid, Katherine was in Roswell, and aliens are awesome.]
ANYWYAY....I was expecting perhaps too much from Knocked Up due to the hype the boxoffice numbers generated in the U.S. Just another downside of living in Australia and getting movies weeks, sometimes months (ala Die Hard, damn you world) after America.
However, the movie did have some laugh out loud moments and was ultra-realistic when portraying situations surrounding an unplanned pregnancy. The 'sit on the fence' bit came when just one character mentioned abortion and it was metaphorically swept under the rug. Thank you conservative America.
Good thing this isn't an article about politics or women's rights...or deadbeat parents, etc etc
Gee I'm rambling on this one and it's probably because I'm avoiding my real opinion. Basically, the movie just didn't live up to the aforementioned hype. There were some laughs, some uncomfortable bits and one really disgusting and unnecessary gross-out bit, but to me the story kind of fell over. There didn't seem to be any real script, just a guideline to ad-lib. I give props to the actors who gave touching performances and the general idea of the movie was fine. I just didn't buy it 100%.
But wait Jen, you bought Giant Alien Robots directed by Michael Bay!
Yes yes, well this is JEN REVIEWS MOVIES, bitch about it on your own blog!
The bottom line is, I didn't believe Knocked Up, and maybe it was because to me I don't see pregnancy as romantic in the slightest. Yes, it's a miracle blah blah... but it's pretty disgusting (as in the actual birth, I'm quite happy my Mother was pregnant a couple of times) and when it's unplanned usually the results aren't that Hollywood or even remotely nice.
For me, a one night stand turned unplanned pregnancy, turned happy ending is far less believable than giant alien robots. Perhaps that just makes me sad, but there you go.
2.5/5 Baby Stars
1 comment:
I loved Knocked Up! It was definately a great movie. I went and saw a prelaunch screening here in Australia about a week ago and loved it. Think it will be one for my DVD collection in a few months :)
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