Forgetting Sarah Marshall

[pete]

I thought 40-Year Old Virgin itself was predictable (Marty + raunch), but as long as the actors remain charming and the filmmakers sincerely believe the story, I'll buy them, just like the John Hughs pictures.

[SiliasRuby]

Is it possible that pete and GT might bond over this film, hating it with enough passion to convince us to never watch a apatow comedy ever again? Or it could be the opposite....? Hmmm.


Sorry, I'm a bit drunk and depressed.

[MacGuffin]

Apatow, Stoller speak 'Greek'
Universal buddy comedy stars Hill, Brand
Source: Variety

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" helmer Nick Stoller is reteaming with Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures for the comedy "Get Him to the Greek," with Jonah Hill and Russell Brand attached to star.

Stoller has been tapped to write and direct the laffer, which centers on a fresh-out-of-college insurance adjuster (Hill) who is hired to accompany an out-of-control rock star (Brand) from London to a gig at L.A.'s Greek Theater.

Hill and Brand played supporting roles in U's "Sarah Marshall"; Stoller made his feature directing debut on the pic. "During the table read on 'Sarah Marshall,' Jonah and Russell had such a great chemistry," said Stoller, who described "Greek" as a very dirty take on "Almost Famous." "Even though they are such different actors with different styles, I thought there could be a great buddy comedy there."

Stoller is co-writing and will direct the comedy "Five-Year Engagement" for Universal, with Jason Segal co-writing and attached to star. He and Segal are also collaborating on "The Muppet Movie" for Disney. Stoller's writing credits include the forthcoming Jim Carrey starrer "Yes Man."

Hill's upcoming credits include the comedy "This Side of the Truth" alongside Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Garner. He will also lend his voice to DreamWorks' "How to Train Your Dragon."

Brand will next be seen in the Adam Sandler starrer "Bedtime Stories" for Disney.

[bonanzataz]

http://defamer.com/382671/jason-segels-nudity-anecdote-so-good-that-he-told-it-twice

heh...

[pete]

but everyone does that, why are they just picpking on jason segel?

[Ravi]

You can see every character arch, in full, before the first act is even finished. At least, with Knocked Up, there is an uncertainty - even once the film has concluded - about where the characters have ended up in their lives, and where they will be in the (imagined) months to come. With this, you know exactly how it's gonna turn out.

Which doesn't kill the enjoyment of the film, either. Neither does the direction, which is bland even by Apatow standards. The cast seems like their left swimming, without much direction.

The outcome is clear, but the journey isn't.  In any other hands this film could have easily become 90 minutes of Peter trying to make Sarah jealous or Peter trying to win her back.  Or one of them would have turned out to have ruined the relationship by themselves.  But in FSM Peter and Sarah have problems with each other as well as good memories.  Ultimately it turns out they're not compatible, and Peter goes from being angry at Sarah to realizing this.

FSM isn't in the league of Knocked Up or Superbad, but its much better than it could have been.

[SiliasRuby]

FSM isn't in the league of Knocked Up or Superbad, but its much better than it could have been.

I totally agree with this assessment and I'm very happy with the film. I could connect with a lot of what Peter went through. I am definitely picking this up on DVD. Sooooo good. PEOPLE, SEE THIS!

[Gamblour.]

This is the first movie I've seen in theaters since TWBB, ie a long time. I was pretty unimpressed. The writing was soooo boring, how many times did these fucking people go out to dinner? When Paul Rudd isn't put to proper use, then something is wrong. Peter was a really believable character in the most unbelievable scenario. In Knocked Up, it's a complete accident that the schmo gets the hot chick. Here, he sleeps with like 6 different hot chicks. I feel like this movie was trying to do a lot of what Swingers already did, and this was more contrived.

I'm starting think that Apatow's genre is the absolute same as anything like Wedding Crashers or Ron Burgundy, but the difference is that they are passably funny. Unfortunately, it doesn't excuse them from being poorly written. I did like the flashback memories and how they were delivered, but otherwise (enter Gene Shalit review) I will be forgetting Sarah Marshall.

[diggler]

i completely disagree. i feel this was the first emotionally responsible judd apatow film. (and yea yea, i know he didn't direct it yada yada yada) knocked up made us suspend our disbelief that heigl would actually end up with seth rogen (and it took a pregnancy to do it, the least of which would be a plausible reason in real life). this movie actually justifies a failed relationship.  sure, mila kunis is the ultimate answer to a messy breakup, but sarah marshall's explanation felt sincere in this film. once a man feels comfortable in his relationship, he spends most of his time in quiet satisfired ignorance.  when he begins feeling sexually unsatisfied, the general excuse is that women lose interest in a man when she feels sexually secure with him. however, when a man feels secure with a woman, his confidence in that security is inadvertanly the nail in his own coffin. sarah marshall is a shallow character for sure, but she's still painfully sympathetic.  only a true woman would fall for such a well rounded character.  segal's dracula musical debut is one of the most unexpectadly touching scenes i've seen on screen in a long time, predominantly because it is so initially laughable. this is the formula for your typical Apatow storyline: present a character whose emotional earnestness trumps his own social misgivings, and a woman will find her way into his life to give purpose to said misgivings.  the scene where segal remembers sarah "misunderstanding" his musical feels painfully familiar, as i'm sure anyone who has had a unique artistic vision that failed to communicate with a significant other has felt the same sense of loneliness and  doubt. 

this film hit on all cylinders for me. i've been rooting for segal since freaks and geeks, but i in no way gave him a free pass on this, he truly earned it.

[modage]

great moments in this, a few especially rang SO true but unfortunately they're buried in a more traditional romantic comedy structure.  i feel like under a better/more experienced director the script could've used some tidying up and all the supporting performances would've been reigned in a bit because they were a little too broad.  it was still funny and i'd probably watch it again.

[Gold Trumpet]

It took me a while to get into this movie. I didn't like Segal's character for the longest time. I think my problem is that the movie spoon fed the break up between his character and Sarah Marshall and then just indulged in all of his whininess for way too long. I had no clue why she really cheated on him and I had no gage of him as a character. I didn't know him for his better qualities. I just knew about a few of his odd habits and a lot about his whininess.

Then when the movie had Sarah Marshall explain why she cheated on him and he started to show more sides of his personality so I began to accept everything and enjoy myself. The first half of the movie was just trying to over emphasize a bad situation without giving a more balanced perspective. So many moments of his insecurity that it all just became too redudant. I was happy that by the end I was smiling the way I like to with an Apatow production.

[Pas]

Obviously a great date movie, I loved it.

Good pace, good lines. Some parts were obviously not in the script and it showed : the  fucking chess pieces thing, really unnecessary and unfunny.... actually the whole christian guy character I don't see Segel writing since he has so little to do with the whole thing. Apatow production obliges I guess.

The Dracula Musical is seriously genius.

[Sleepless]

Best Screenplay contender?

[picolas]

i should hope so. this is a gem.

[MacGuffin]

Script Review for 'The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time'
Source: Cinematical

If you are even half as obsessed with the Muppets as I am, then you probably couldn't be happier that Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller are bringing them back to the big screen. Last year, Segel had confirmed that they were half way through a script, and now a source at AICN by the name of The Great Gonzo claims to have gotten a look at the finished product. The film has the working title of The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time, and there is a little good and bad in the early review, so let's start with the good news first, shall we?

According to AICN's source, the heart of the story is pretty close to what Segel told us back in 2008. The story centers on Kermit having to reunite the old gang to save the studio, and hearkens back to the glory days of Muppet movies with the classic characters front and center. But, it's not all sunshine and roses from AICN's scooper, since they also claim that there are some flat sections to the story and some of the references are just plain outdated. The script review also goes into some pretty specific descriptions of the various cameos and is definitely spoiler heavy, so if you want to avoid ruining the fun, I suggest you tread carefully.

I grew up wanting to live in that old theater with Kermit and company, and my Animal drum set was my favorite childhood toy -- I was absolutely addicted. But I grew up, and while the later Muppet films were always good for a laugh, it just wasn't the same. Thankfully, now that the franchise is in the hands of a true believer like Segel, I'm pretty sure we have nothing to worry about - I mean, as long as Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem remain intact, I'll be good.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/40492