Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader,
Liz Cakowski, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Taylor Wily, Jack McBrayer,
Maria Thayer, Kala Alexander
Written by Jason Segel
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 112 minutes
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
Peter Bretter (Segel) is a musician. In fact, he's a typically under-achieving musician straight out of casting central. On the plus side, he's got a gorgeous actress girlfriend in the titular Sarah (Bell) and a regular gig doing moody incidental music for her smash-hit CSI-lite TV series. On the downside, it's soul-destroying work, he's a slob and the gorgeous actress girlfriend has just dumped him for British rockstar Aldous Snow (the surprisingly appealing Brand).
Struggling to come to terms with the break-up, he attempts the usual movie thing — lots of athletic humourous sone-night stands — before deciding to exorcise a few ghosts and get some much needed r & r at the Hawaiian destination Sarah always wanted to visit. On the plus side, this puts him in contact with sexy receptionist Rachel (the charming Kunis). On the downside, he's managed to pick the same week that Sarah and Aldous have chosen to visit.
Cue slapstick embarrassment, crude sexual activity and a predictable romantic outcome: yep, you're back in the world of Judd Apatow. He's on board here as producer but his influence is obvious from the semi-formula he's got going on, the personnel — Hill's and Rudd's typically excellent cameos — and the fact that, behind the dangling genitals and alleycat morals, there's a genuine heart here. Even if you do have to peer closely to find it. I mean, who else would demonstrate Peter's sense of closure by his inability to respond to Sarah's attempts at a make-up blowjob?
Sadly, Apatow's presence is also obvious from the running time which, typically, is a good 20 minutes too long. Apatow's recruiting writers and performers wherever he goes. Why can't he find an editor? In this instance, the overlong running time is far from fatal — you'll laugh, often and loud — but the middle sags considerably, stretching Segel's limited charm to near breaking point, and repeating jokes and situations. This flab also delays the genuinely hilarious puppet show finale. The quality of that scene has won Segal the scripting duties on the next Muppet film, which bodes well. Provided, of course, they wield some scissors.
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SECOND OPINION | Stuart O'Connor ***½ Here we have a whole bunch of TV people breaking into the big-screen big time — and how — courtesy of the can-do-no-wrong juggernaut that Judd Apatow Productions has become. Segel (in his first produced screenplay) is better known as Marshall from the sitcom How I Met Your Mother; Bell entranced us each week as the lovely and oh-so clever Veronica Mars; and Kunis, who rose to fame as Jackie on That 70s Show, and is also the voice behind Meg Griffin on the animated Family Guy (Mila, PLEASE do more live action work). And you know what? You can't help but wish them all success, because Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a smashing little comedy that follows the formula while also messing with it. Big time.
Although I agree with Neil that it runs a little longer for its own is good, the script is a delight throughout — if the acting ever dries up, Segel definitely has a writing career to fall back on — and the performances are all perfectly pitched. There's plenty of raunch, and plenty of romance (but a little too much of Segel's penis). Judd Apatow has successfully invaded the female domain of the rom-com, and made them cool for guys to like. And for that, we salute him.