Super bad is the latest production to be released through the directorial efforts of Judd Apatow, whose preceding films included Knocked Up and the 40-Year old Virgin; In a similar vein to those previous works, this film centers on a group of unlikely heroes attempting to become successful in the ways of love, life, and contemporary scholastic culture.
The central theme of Superbad centers on the actions of Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) who are attempting to enjoy their final moments of high school before starting collegiate life. These ending days of high school life are frequently regarded as the best opportunity to party, thus students in the film are busily setting up events to highlight this specific occasion. Seth and Evan view this prospect as a prime occasion to seduce their female contemporaries. The significance of this chance is underlined by Seth when he proclaims to Evan, “we can be that mistake that girls regret!” Unfortunately, Seth and Evan are not considered popular by any means; Evan is intelligent but is often regarded by his peers as nerdy, while Seth is corpulent and enjoys observing pornographic material.
Seth’s negative fortunes throughout the film improve when he speaks to Jules, who is portrayed by Emma Stone. In an attempt to impress her, he represents himself as a riotous individual who frequently attends parties and has a strong taste for alcohol. This action proves successful; Jules charges him with obtaining some liquor in an attempt to “liven up the festivities.” Emboldened, he immediately relays this propitious news to Evan, who mentions places a special request for a specific drink to impress Becca, a girl that he is also smitten with. As they begin their quest for babes and booze, they meet up with Fogle, who acquires a counterfeit identification card with the intent of using it to purchase liquor. When he initially fails to do so, Seth investigates the situation. This singular event quickly escalates into a series of hilarious escapades that will change the lives of all three film protagonists.
Movie reviewers who have observed this production have quickly drawn comparisons to other trendy films such as Freaks & Geeks, Knocked Up, Can’t Hardly Wait, and American Graffiti. This comparison is apt, although my personal observations led me to associate this production with American Pie. I believe that this is due to the similar plot details involving improbable characters trying to achieve success in the sexual arena. Amusingly, the three central characters’ personalities are strikingly comparable to the persons in American Pie. For instance, Evan and Fogle’s intelligence (they both received acceptance into Dartmouth University) and relative maturity draw parallels to Paul Finch, the ‘sophisticated’ individual who outsmarted Steven Stifler on various occasions. Also, Seth’s crass attitude and obsession with pornography make him analogous with Stifler’s blundering antics; however, his relative timidity around the opposite sex recalls Jim Levenstein, who was represented by Jason Biggs. While these comparisons are satisfactory for persons who proclaim themselves as fans of these films, it also allows for a certain degree of predictability to become prevalent to persons who expect each of Apatow’s productions to become different from one another.
However, despite these apparent similarities to other films, Superbad can be easily recommended to persons who have a strong affinity for lewd comedy and humorous sexual situations. This film deserves three stars out of four.
