"Knocked Up" is a well-made, enjoyable comedy about the consequences of an unprotected one-night stand. It has dual lessons for its lead characters: Seth Rogen has to learn to grow up and accept responsibility and Katherine Heigl has to choose between a professional life as a television interviewer or a possibly less rewarding (as she sees it) life as a stay-at-home mom.
And because it's Judd Apatow, he handles the sex gags carefully and with enough maturity that it doesn't become another stale sex comedy. But I think some people jumping on the Apatow bandwagon are so eager to praise him as the "Savior" of the sex-comedy genre that they are overlooking some of the film's flaws.
First of all, if we're going to be picky, the comedy isn't very consistent. Which is OK - I'd prefer it that way - but when you see reviews touting it as "the funniest movie of the year," expectations can't help but build.
I didn't think the acting was as good as in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." Seth Rogen is a great supporting actor - but I find him rather irritating as a lead character. His revelation at the end of the film, too, isn't very believable - they spend so much time focusing on his life as a slacker that the transition between him being a man-child and accepting responsibility is as realistic as a "Rocky" training montage; he has a heartfelt talk with his dad (Harold Ramis) and suddenly he's 100% willing to become committed. Okay.
I'm not a big Heigl fan, but she fit the role well here. Paul Rudd was the real scene-stealer, though. But he's thrown off-balance by the casting of Apatow's wife - can he PLEASE stop putting her in all his movies? She can't act.
Overall, this is an OK comedy - better than most of its genre - and the drama is more realistic than most sex comedies, but some people were so willing to jump on it as a "masterpiece" of its genre before it even came out that the hype just killed it for me.
And because it's Judd Apatow, he handles the sex gags carefully and with enough maturity that it doesn't become another stale sex comedy. But I think some people jumping on the Apatow bandwagon are so eager to praise him as the "Savior" of the sex-comedy genre that they are overlooking some of the film's flaws.
First of all, if we're going to be picky, the comedy isn't very consistent. Which is OK - I'd prefer it that way - but when you see reviews touting it as "the funniest movie of the year," expectations can't help but build.
I didn't think the acting was as good as in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." Seth Rogen is a great supporting actor - but I find him rather irritating as a lead character. His revelation at the end of the film, too, isn't very believable - they spend so much time focusing on his life as a slacker that the transition between him being a man-child and accepting responsibility is as realistic as a "Rocky" training montage; he has a heartfelt talk with his dad (Harold Ramis) and suddenly he's 100% willing to become committed. Okay.
I'm not a big Heigl fan, but she fit the role well here. Paul Rudd was the real scene-stealer, though. But he's thrown off-balance by the casting of Apatow's wife - can he PLEASE stop putting her in all his movies? She can't act.
Overall, this is an OK comedy - better than most of its genre - and the drama is more realistic than most sex comedies, but some people were so willing to jump on it as a "masterpiece" of its genre before it even came out that the hype just killed it for me.