Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the best comedy of the year so far, and maybe the best movie, period.

Rating: 9/10 (13 April 2008)

I just went to an advance screening of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and it is just as funny as 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad. Jason Segel has crafted a screenplay that could have easily disintegrated into an over-the-top, unbelievable, and lowbrow comedy. Instead, all of its characters are believable and, more importantly, we really care about them and their feelings.
If you cant tell from the other Apatow & Crew movies, these guys can act with the best of them. If there has ever been a time for the Academy Awards to start acknowledging comedies as just as good as Dramas, it is now, in the time of Apatow. Yes the comedy is as filthy as ever, but the acting is just as good as almost any drama out there. I would even say that comedy is harder than Drama in that it is incredibly hard to craft characters that you feel for and believe while still being funny. Apatow and his friends are the kings of it. It was evident in "Freaks and Geeks" and it has only gotten better now.
Jason Segel is great and you feel for his character immensely. Kristen Bell plays her part as the heartbreaker ex-girlfriend pitch perfectly. At times her character, without giving too much away, is semi-tragic. Mila Kunis completely makes us forget about her days as the dumb hottie on "That 70's Show" and makes us fall in love with her character along with Peter. Russell Brand has the toughest job playing the ridiculous parody of a British rocker. At times he is a bit over-the-top but he gets some of the biggest laughs in the movie while retaining a bit of believability.
The supporting characters are just as good as they have been in every other Apatow movie. Bill Hader, while I liked him more in Superbad, gets some big laughs as the brother who wants Peter to get over Sarah. Jonah Hill gets some huge laughs as the hotel employee who has a man crush on the British rocker. Paul Rudd is one of the best comic minds of our time and he is as funny as ever as Chuck/Kunu the hotel's surf instructor.
The writing and directing are both top-notch as well.
If there is anything bad I can say about it, is that some of the editing jumps around suddenly and sometimes some scenes seem a bit out of place. Also there is a scene where a boom gets in the shot. There are a few continuity issues (towels on shoulders disappearing and drinks in and out of peoples hands) but those are to be expected.
Do not miss this movie it is the best movie so far this year!!!