Knocked up is Judd Apatow's follow up to The 40 Year Old Virgin. It's an interesting amalgamation of genres that probably appeals across several audiences. It's a pregnancy comedy and the female lead is from Grey's Anatomy, so the chick flick crowd is well represented. However, it also features most of the second string cast of The 40 Year Old Virgin, a goodly amount of stoner humor, and more F-bombs than any comedy in recent memory. Fans of raunchy comedy will be pleased. It also, against the odds for a movie like this, features well rounded characters and a solid story. So what did I think of it?It's the best movie I've seen all year, hands down.
That's a big claim, particularly in this season of major blockbusters, but I stand by it. The thing is, not only is Knocked Up uproariously funny - I haven't laughed this hard since Borat - it's also a very well made and superbly acted film. Take away the jokes, and it would still be a solid drama. For the most part, everyone seems to agree with me on this. I do have one friend who was quite disappointed with it, but I'll get to me thoughts on that later. The one word I've heard over and over again is "honesty". This movie deals with issues of pregnancy, relationships, marriage, friendship, responsibility, and all of the myriad emotions that go along with them with stark honesty. Even the language in the film, which is filthy to say the least in places, rings true. Also, just to put this out there, I hope that both Seth Rogan (Ben) and Paul Rudd (Pete) star together in many, many more movies. They're brilliant together, to say the least.
I might get in trouble for this, but at this point I would almost describe Judd Apatow as a mature Kevin Smith. Not to take anything away from either film maker, but that's the vibe I get. The naturalistic dialog, bracingly honest treatment of the subject matter, and the low key production are all reminiscent of Kevin Smith, particularly of Chasing Amy. However, Apatow's characters and subjects are decidedly more adult, and his habit of letting actors improvise (something Smith would never do) lends his films a more spontaneous feel. Take from that what you will.
WARNING: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD
The inciting incident in Knocked Up is the chance meeting of Ben - an unemployed stoner who's out partying with friends because he doesn't have anything better to do - and Alison - an up and coming talent with E! who's out celebrating her first "on air" assignment. Ben manages to charm the slightly innebriated Alison, and the two of them go back to her place and have sex. Unprotected sex, due to a drunken misunderstanding. Eight weeks later, Alison realizes she's pregnant, and Ben is the only candidate for father.
From there we follow these two near strangers as they try to get to know one another and figure out what to do about their situation. Where Knocked Up differs from your average pregnancy story is in its focus. What makes Knocked Up different from your standard romantic comedy is its honesty and heart. The jokes come entirely from the characters being who they are and bouncing off of one another, the emotional moments are almost painfully real, and not once does the film talk down to its audience.
Ben doesn't have the typical "I don't want to take on this responsibility" reaction when he finds out he's going to be a father. His initial reaction is emotionally violent and angry, but once he's had a chance to come to grips with the idea, he tries to do the right thing as if it's his only option. Alison's reaction is panic and sorrow - she can see her career, all that she's worked for, going away because of this - but she almost immediately decides to keep the baby and do the best she can. Of the few negative reviews I've seen of this movie, most seem to point to these two immediate decisions as a weakness. Why doesn't Alison consider an abortion? Why does Ben so readily give up his hedonistic ways? The answer to the first is simply that she doesn't want to. Most people probably have their minds made up already whether that's even an option for them (regardless of their political views), and apparently it isn't an option for her. The answer to the second cuts a bit closer to the heart of this movie. First of all, Ben is a decent guy. It is largely to Seth Rogan's credit that even when his character is doing something unseemly, you can't help but think that he's a decent guy. Secondly, and here's the real meat of it, he doesn't quite grasp what he's doing at first.
Where the women in this movie - Alison and her sister Debbie - give the film its strength and intelligence, the men - Ben and Debbie's husband Pete - give it its heart and soul. Initially, Ben "does the right thing" by doing what he thinks he's supposed to do, but it's little more than playing the part. It's almost as if he's acting out the things he's seen in movies and TV shows. He means well, but he hasn't yet grasped the fact that he's actually going to have to change his ways. In one scene where this comes to a head, he forgets that Alison is asleep in his bedroom when an earthquake hits. He leaves her there and instead carries a large bong to safety. Pete, by contrast, has given himself over almost completely to his wife and two daughters, and fears that there's nothing left of who he once was. He makes up excuses to get out of the house and do things alone to try and regain some sense of self. This leads to problems in his marriage, which gives Ben and Alison a glimpse into what their future may hold if they can't figure this out.
Again, this movie doesn't play down to it audience, so Pete isn't a stereotypical disinterested father and husband. He loves his kids and is shown to be nothing less than a stellar father, and loves his wife as well, he simply feels trapped and overwhelmed by her. Debbie, for her part, could have played as a standard nagging wife, but instead is possibly the most compelling of the characters here. Alison isn't the model of strength and patience she might have been in less capable hands. Instead, she gives back to Ben just as good as she gets, and nearly destroys her career by trying to hide her pregnancy out of fear. Where Ben's journey takes him from acting the part to actually embodying it, Alison's takes her from fear and uncertainty to strength and maturity.
This shouldn't have to be said, but it's nice to see a movie like this where the women are just as unsure of themselves as the men, and the men are just as redeemable as the women. I'm not ashamed to admit that when Ben finally comes into his own and claims not only his responsibilities, but the inherent privileges and dignity of being an expectant father, I was moved. What he finds in himself is something I can only hope I do if I'm ever in that situation, and that thought touched me deeply. Ben's crowning moment comes when he is finally able to put Debbie - the one character who has always held the moral upper hand thus far - in her place and banish her from the delivery room after she tries to unceremoniously dismiss him. When she says to her husband "He just kicked me out... I think he's going to be a good father... I think I like him!" (or something close to that) it's a brilliant validation that Ben has finally arrived. It's also important to note that Ben does not give up being who he is, his actions are very much in character, only his focus has changed completely (going from himself to his girlfriend and new baby).
Now, about people who didn't like this movie, in my experience so far, they fall into two camps: Those with political objections (lack of focus on the question of abortion, for example), and those who simply felt no connection to it. A good friend of mine saw Knocked Up expecting the funniest movie ever, based on what he'd heard (from myself included). While I freely admit that this isn't even the funniest movie of the year, he saw almost no humor in it. I found that baffling, until it occurred to me that we are at two very different stages of our lives, despite being good friends. I am married, I own a house, I have a degree and work in my chosen field. He is single, will soon be living with his parents again, and works in fast food. I'm certainly not trying to knock him - in some ways I envy him (don't read too much into that, I'm very happily married) - but the fact is that introspective humor centered around long term relationships and what it means to grow up and become responsible not only to yourself, but to a family of your own, just isn't going to resonate as strongly as it would with me.
I had a similar observation about the movie Big Fish, which is still among my top movies ever. After my wife's younger sisters and mother went to see it, I asked them what they thought. The young girls, barely out of high school at the time, thought it was boring and pointless. Her mother, on the other hand, found it deeply moving. Similarly, my father had a very powerful reaction to it, possibly more than I did, due largely to the themes of fatherhood and true understanding across generations.
I stand by my statement that Knocked Up is the best movie I've seen this year. You don't have to agree, it isn't a movie for everyone, but don't be surprised if some day you see it again and find a lot more there than you did the first time around.
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