The prude in me really should have had a hard time with this suprisingly sweet, yet incredibly crude tale about two strangers whose lives change forever after a one night stand. Seth Rogan does a pretty good job playing the loveable loser Ben Stone, and Katherine Heigl makes a good move from TV with her believable type A character Allison Scott. The two of them do a good job of playing polar opposites to one another; although I will say I was not blown away by any one screen chemistry.
For me the movie belongs to Paul Rudd who once again has made me want to instantly become his friend. Perhaps the reason I am smitten with him is because I can more readily identify with the family man character he gives us. Rudd has replaced Vince Vaugn in my book for the best ability to deliver comedic timing. He is certainly ready to be a lead in a comedy, and I would be the first in line.
The story has a formula much like that of "Forty Year Old Virgin". (suprise right...same writer/director) It relies on snappy, well written, yet seemingly improvised dialouge to help deliver each scene with a rauncy tenderness. Yes the language in the flick is horrid, but I have no doubt that pot heads who have 119.00 dollars to their name do from time to time talk like this. I found myself laughing quite often, albeit not as much as I did in the "40 Year Old Virgin" Rogan is a very funny man..but his pot headed delivery started getting to me by the end of the 10 minute too long movie. Although it may not be as funny as Virgin I found it to be at the center of it a sweeter and more uplifting story. I don't think though that the two movies nshould be compared to much as I think they each belong in their own genre. (40 Year Old Virgin = comedy. Knocked Up = Romantic Comedy. YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE...AND THIS MOVIE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE)
I recommend this movie highly to people who can look past the filth and find that it is a movie about growing up. After all in the very elderly couple sitting next to me could not be a stick in the mud about it, then I should follow their example. It is a very good director (Judd Aptow) who can accomplish shocking me with the crude, and warming my heart at the same time. This movie does both.
JOHN'S SCORE: (each score is out of a possible 25)
STORY: 22 - A great character arc between both of the leads. Knocked Up takes us on a journey of transformation on a path coated with F bombs.
ACTING: 21 - Heigl and Rogan are good...Rudd is great! Maybe a little less Bevis laughing would have made me like Rogan's Character more.
GENRE GOALS: 20 - Meaning does this movie have all the things a romantic comedy should. I think it does an excellent job of showing the stress on parents to be..as well as showing how complicated life can be for a family with children. I could have scored higher here but the constant drug use stole a bit of the romance here.
DIRECTION/WRITING: 21 - Again Judd Aptow tells a wonderful tale of a man finally growing up. Though I felt a chunk of the story could have been edited out. The style is exactly the same as "Virgin" and that is both a good and bad thing.
OVERALL SCORE : 84%
FINAL THOUGHT: Not for the prudish to be sure! However it is the first movie this summer that does not rely on action scenes to make it a success. Knocked Up will make you laugh. (even if you never ever admit it to anyone)
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