Monday, April 28, 2008

The Marshall Plan

Michael and I saw "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" over the weekend. I was a big fan of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" and wondered why the latest film with the Judd Apatow stamp on it wasn't burning up the box office as those other three did. (For those keeping score, I didn't count "Walk Hard" or "Drillbit Taylor" because they weren't in that male-bonding genre that Apatow has become famous for.) Reduced expectations are always helpful, but I sure was surprised how funny and sweet "Sarah Marshall" was.

I'm half-thinking it's not as big a smash as its predecessors because it's (actually) too much of a chick flick to appeal to male audiences and disguised too much as a gross-out film to attract female audiences (What were they thinking with that completely misleading ad campaign -- YOU SUCK SARAH MARSHALL???) Not since "Swingers" has spending time with a heartbroken guy been quite this hilariously pathetic (DEREK!!!!). I'd rate it as one of Apatow Inc.'s best. (Maneater)

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