Movie Review: Knocked Up

Bottom line first: If you liked The 40 Year Old Virgin, go see this. Period.

You like how I did that? Cut to the chase, give you the chance to skip the meat and potatoes.

Now for the meat and potatoes.

Judd Apatow has a lock on the "crude as hell yet heartfelt" movie, nay, a strangle hold. The very same qualities that worked wonders in The 40 Year Old Virgin are put back in to play in Knocked Up. Lovable schlub leading man, incredibly crass buddies, really awkward moments, and a genuine sweetness throughout.

The mismatching of Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl isn't dismissed, in fact, it's played for many laughs from start to finish. When slacker king Ben (Rogen) initially charms career girl Allison (Heigl) it's very believable. Their coitus is alcohol fueled, as is the misunderstanding that leads to the titular situation. As they both flounder their way in to a relationship based on a love child, you believe quite easily that they fall in tenuous love.

Then there is the tug of war for Ben. He claims to be "all in," yet he doesn't really change at all in preparation for the baby. He's supportive of Allison, yet remains a pot-smoking jobless layabout (he has plans for a website, but there's no money in it yet). His friends and roommates represent that lifestyle, while his new friend, Allison's sister's husband, Pete (Paul Rudd, who has nailed the "second fiddle" of comedies) represents what he may become.

The movie takes us through the nine month period from conception to birth, with all the hilarious ups and hilarious (in completely different ways) downs. In a very cheap, but effective, trick, not only is time shown with a very convincing prosthetic stomach, but with a "beard bet" with Ben's roommate. At the beginning of the movie, two of his roommates make a bet that one of them will not shave or cut his hair for a year. Not only does this give Apatow a long running joke throughout (as the roommates try to mock him to get him in to shave, for if he does he pays everyones rent for a year), but it subtly shows the passage of time. Like I said, cheap, but effective.

There are tons of people in this movie, too. Allison's job as an E! reporter allow for many "as themselves" cameos (including 40 Year Old Virgin vet Steve Carrell and Apatow vet James Franco), and many other people seem to have simply wanted to get on board with the next Apatow movie. My personal "awesome, he/she is in it!" was Harold Ramis, who plays Ben's father.

I think the only complaint I have is that my theater was full and the laughter came so much that lines were missed. Really, what kind of complaint is that? That's the most glowing complaint for a comedy I've ever come up with.

Knocked Up is a must see.