“Knocked Up” (Universal Pictures)
The State of Comedy Today
Judd Apatow is riding high these days. He is the man who was director and/or producer and/or writer of such hits as “Talladega Nights,” “Forty Year Old Virgin” and “Anchorman.” Now he is bringing in audiences to see “Knocked Up,” a potty mouthed comedy about – well the title says it all. Apatow appears to be a talented man, he wrote and directed “Knocked Up.” Still it seems he should be able to get some humor in his movies that doesn’t rely on shock value alone. Take out the dirty words and the potty humor from “Knocked Up” and you have a movie that is boring!
Katherine Heigl of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame stars as Alison in this film. Alison works for “Entertainment Tonight” and appears to be a levelheaded young woman. One night after getting a promotion she goes to a club with her married sister Debbie (Leslie Mann). There she meets a shlubby guy named Ben (Seth Rogen). They party hearty and end up spending the night together. Come the morning they go their separate ways.
A few weeks later Alison determines she is pregnant. She contacts Ben to see if he wants to be involved in the pregnancy. He does, and they begin the slow walk to responsibility and maturity. Now why she would want this slacker guy who was a one-night stand to be involved in her life is a mystery that is never answered. Ben is a stoner, an illegal immigrant, and a slacker who doesn’t have steady employment. Still wise, beautiful Alison wants him in her life. Well it is a movie!
A subplot involves Alison’s sister Debbie and her husband Pete (Paul Rudd). This couple has two children and is supposed to be the role models for Alison and Ben. Except Debbie and Pete don’t seem all that happy to begin with and things tend to go from bad to worse.
Heigl has shown tons of charm and talent in her portrayal of “Izzie” on “Grey’s Anatomy” but they are not on view in this film. Alison comes across as blonde and bland. Rogen is supposed to be a loveable shmuck but he never gets the warmth across. He is good at playing stupid and irresponsible but that is not enough. For the movie to succeed you have to want Ben and Alison to get together. But based on these performances a lot of people will be afraid they are going to get together.
The movie is rated R for profanity, sexual situations and nudity. The birth scene is pretty graphic.
There are a lot of cheap laughs in “Knocked Up.” And if you get off on hearing endless profanity, well you will be in hog heaven. But for those who want some genuinely funny moments in the film, well they will have to look elsewhere. Apatow thinks the dirtier the funnier and for many that will be enough. But not me.
I scored “Knocked Up” a pregnant 4 out of 10.
