2008 Woodie Awards
Movie review: 'Sarah Marshall' not so forgettable
Terri Schwartz
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: The Inside
Ugly boy gets dumped by pretty girl. Ugly boy goes to distant location to try to get over pretty girl. Ugly boy meets prettier girl and falls in love. Pretty girl decides she wants ugly boy again. Insert drama here.
No, this is not the synopsis of last year's "The Heartbreak Kid," starring Ben Stiller. Instead, it is Judd Apatow's newest brilliant creation, the disaster comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
The trailers for the film say that "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is from "the guys who brought you 'Knocked Up' and 'The 40 Year Old Virgin.'" However, Apatow only executive produced this movie, whereas he wrote and directed the other two. It was directed by relative newcomer Nicholas Stoller (who helped write Apatow's TV series "Undeclared") and was written by leading man Jason Segel.
Enter Peter Bretter (Segel), who is dating "sexy crime fighter" Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), a famous actress from a TV show reminiscent of "CSI." The movie opens with Peter being dumped by Sarah, his girlfriend of five and a half years. He takes the break-up with a distinct lack of grace - and entirely in the nude.
Thus ensues three weeks of self-inflicted torture, until Peter's step-brother (Bill Hader) encourages him to take a vacation to get his mind off of Sarah. Peter decides to go to Hawaii (because it was one of the places Sarah wanted to go), where he meets a sexy receptionist named Rachel (Mila Kunis), and bumps into Sarah and her new singer boyfriend, named Aldous (Russell Brand).
The movie follows through on the viewers' expectations: Peter has many uncomfortable run-ins with Sarah and her beau, but also finds the time to hang out and fall in love with Rachel, who he finds increasingly cool and the opposite of Sarah.
However, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is an Apatow design, and therefore is the stereotypical break-up movie and more. Completing the Apatow gang are Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill playing recurring hotel staff and offering a bit of comedic relief.
No, this is not the synopsis of last year's "The Heartbreak Kid," starring Ben Stiller. Instead, it is Judd Apatow's newest brilliant creation, the disaster comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
The trailers for the film say that "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is from "the guys who brought you 'Knocked Up' and 'The 40 Year Old Virgin.'" However, Apatow only executive produced this movie, whereas he wrote and directed the other two. It was directed by relative newcomer Nicholas Stoller (who helped write Apatow's TV series "Undeclared") and was written by leading man Jason Segel.
Enter Peter Bretter (Segel), who is dating "sexy crime fighter" Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), a famous actress from a TV show reminiscent of "CSI." The movie opens with Peter being dumped by Sarah, his girlfriend of five and a half years. He takes the break-up with a distinct lack of grace - and entirely in the nude.
Thus ensues three weeks of self-inflicted torture, until Peter's step-brother (Bill Hader) encourages him to take a vacation to get his mind off of Sarah. Peter decides to go to Hawaii (because it was one of the places Sarah wanted to go), where he meets a sexy receptionist named Rachel (Mila Kunis), and bumps into Sarah and her new singer boyfriend, named Aldous (Russell Brand).
The movie follows through on the viewers' expectations: Peter has many uncomfortable run-ins with Sarah and her beau, but also finds the time to hang out and fall in love with Rachel, who he finds increasingly cool and the opposite of Sarah.
However, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is an Apatow design, and therefore is the stereotypical break-up movie and more. Completing the Apatow gang are Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill playing recurring hotel staff and offering a bit of comedic relief.
Be the first to comment on this story