You will "Mclove" 'Superbad'
3 min readBY CAITLIN COGGINS
Every now and then, a summer movie comes out that features all of the typical high school movie clichés. Moving on to college, hooking up with girls (or guys), essentially, taking the big steps toward adulthood. Superbad features all of these same themes, but something sets it apart. Actually, many things set this comedy about growing up and moving on apart.
Like most high school boys who are not blessed with social skills, longtime best friends Seth (Jonah Hill of Knocked Up) and Evan (Michael Cera of TV’s Arrested Development) have one thing on their minds: girls, and more specifically, how to get into their pants.
Along with fellow geek Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, appearing in his first film), the guys are desperate to impress their female classmates.
When they are finally invited to a party, where all of their perspective hookups will be, Seth and Evan want the atmosphere to be perfect. After Fogell acquires a fake I.D. (whose name on the I.D. is simply McLovin’) the plan is set, and the boys set out to have the time of their lives.
What follows is a series of hilarious misadventures, all in the name of getting to the party and hooking up with Jules (Emma Stone) and Becca (Martha MacIsaac). Without giving too much away, let’s just say that these misadventures involve two deadbeat cops (played by SNL’s Bill Hader and co-writer Seth Rogen), an accidental adult party, a number of illegal and disgusting acts, and surprising revelations about the guy’s friendship. And finally of course, Jules’ party.
What seriously sets apart Superbad from other films in its genre is the truly brilliant writing of Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who were also best friends in high school. Every joke is perfectly timed and never overdone. The relationship of the three friends and their female counterparts is not only hilarious but also endearing. Although very crude at times, Superbad stands out as one of the funniest summer flicks in years.
Another standout aspect of Superbad is the brilliant performances by everyone involved. Hill’s scheming and outrageous behavior juxtaposes brilliantly with Cera’s awkward and deadpan, but still incredibly endearing personality. Both Hill and Cera have really set themselves at the forefront of up and coming comedy actors. The ridiculous and scene stealing antics of Mintz-Plasse keeps the audience in stitches for the entirety of the movie, and is likely to go down in history as one of the greatest movie geeks of our time. Whereas in many comedies, which can be drawn out and overdone, the chemistry of these three friends keeps viewers in tears from start to finish. Stone and MacIsaac also hold their own as very likeable and adorable costars.
If crude and sexually-explicit humor isn’t your thing, then this probably isn’t your movie, because Superbad does not hold back, even for a moment. However if you’re simply looking for a laugh and a good time at the movies, Superbad does not disappoint. Although outrageous and crude, Superbad reminds us that at the end of the day, a good friend is really all you need.
