For those of you who not obsessive over the career of Jason Segal, allow me to explain why this movie is perfect for him. Well, besides the fact that he wrote it. Segal is a long time veteran of the Judd Apatow troupe of actors dating back to Freaks and Geeks on the television. However, where he really found his stride was on the second Apatow television show, Undeclared. There Segal perfected the guy who is not afraid to cry. He plays weak guys better than anyone, so it makes sense he would write a movie about a guy who cannot get over a break up. Also, know that I love Apatow movies and if you don't, just don't even bother reading this or watching this movie.
Peter Bretter is a man in love. He is in love with Sarah Marhsall( Kristen Bell), his girlfriend and star of a hit t.v show, for which Peter writes the score. He is a lazy man who has aspirations of writing a Dracula Rock Opera-with puppets- but he can't bring himself to actually finish it. He is mostly unhappy, and the one thing that makes him happy is Sarah. So when she breaks up with him, it sends him in a downward spiral of crying, drinking, bad one night stands and leaves his house a mess. His step brother Brian(The perfect Bill Hader) tells him to go on vacation and Peter mentions Sarah always told him Hawaii was great so off to Hawaii goes Peter. When he gets there he sees Sarah and spends his first few nights in Hawaii crying some more. Eventually he starts to get out and meet some pretty funny people in Hawaii and meets a very gorgeous, free living girl, Rachel Jansen(Mila Kunis), and they hit it off. Sarah, on the other hand, is now dating British rocker, Aldous Snow(Russell Brand) and is having a hard time seeing Peter start to be happy with someone else.
For my money, this movie is as funny as the other Apatow movies. In fact, I prefer this one to the 40-yr old virgin. And it is all thanks to Jason Segal. Segal wrote the script, which is funny, but it is his dedication to his craft that makes this movie such a winner. Much has been made of Segal going the Full Monty at the beginning, but that just indicitive of his whole performance. Segal is like Jim Carrey, Peter Sellars or Chris Farley as guys who go all in to their comedy. He leaves all of his inhibitions at the door and gives 100% to this movie. Every one gets to shine, of course, because it is an Apatow production, but Segal really makes the movie go. Paul Rudd gets some laughs as the perpetually stoned surf instructor, Jonah Hill is actually quite reserved, but hilarious as a waiter obsessed with Aldous Snow, Jack McBrayer(30 Rock) is very funny as a newly married man having trouble having sex with his wife because of how religious they are and the few Hotel employees we meet all have funny things to say, especially Davon McDonald who wants to go snorkeling to watch sea turtles have sex for 3 hours. As Aldous Snow, Russell Brand is a serious comic find. His hedonistic, cock sure performance is brilliantly comical, but more than that, he is a jerk of a character, but he is so self assured and knows exactly who he is that the more we get to know him, the more we actually like him. He is the coolest character because nothing gets to him. He is level headed, hilarious and dirty and we totally grow to like him. As Sarah Marshall, Kristen Bell does the best job she can trying to turn Sarah into a human and in the scene where She and Segal finally have a real conversation about the break up she actually makes us understand what happened in the relationship.
The jokes work, the physical comedy works, the budding love between Segal and Kunis works and the break up between Bell and Segal works. In fact, Mila Kunis might have got herself a nice little movie career from this movie, if the right people see it. She has transformed into a gorgeous woman, but more than that she is pretty damn talented as well. She handles the awkward comedy of the Apatow brand with ease, but also handles the charming love stuff easily as well. Of course, the awkward comedy is what makes this movie tick. Whether it is Segal being completely naked getting his heart broken, or the two new couples drinking and eating together, the awkward comedy is perfectly uncomfortable. Also, unlike Knocked Up and Superbad, there is some pretty hilarious graphic sex, that is not only funny, but it actually helps move the story along, especially the last one. The direction is a bit weak and the movie could use a little more focus towards the middle, but that is all forgotten as the funny lines come at you at hilarious speeds. On top of all of that there is a freaking genius parody of the t.v. show CSI, featuring a nice cameo from William Baldwin and a parody of bad television shows with a cameo by Jason Bateman. Also, a great conversation making fun of bad horror movies happens that is funnier when you remember Kristen Bell was in a bad horror movie with a similar premise.
The last thing I want to say is that there is a scene towards the end that is among the funniest scenes I have seen in a movie. It is up there with Jim Carrey writing with a blue pen in Liar, Liar. It is up there with Chris Farley in Tommy Boy trying to explain to a potential buyer why he should buy his brake pads. It ties up the whole movie in a perfect blend of awkwardness, comedy and love. Judd Apatow started the trend of romantic comedies that guys can enjoy, but Segal takes the idea of romance in these movies to a whole new level and maybe that will turn some people off who want more sitting around and talking and less actual romance, but it totally worked for me in every way. With the exception of maybe Pineapple Express, I doubt any other movie I see this year will make me laugh as often and as hard as Forgetting Sarah Marhsall.
Final Grade: A
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