very well-written and acted comedy

Rating: 9/10 (4 February 2011)

This is a very funny film, as noted, extremely well-acted and written. I do wish that Hollywood had a broader net for comedic incubation but that said, many of the films which Judd Apatow is involved in are very funny. I enjoyed "The 40 Year Old Virgin" though I found "Knocked Up" to be a bit harsh on women. I found "Pineapple Express" loopier but "Superbad" overly reliant on bad language. Apatow did not direct all those films but has had an influence on all of them. This film I really enjoyed. It is written by Jason Segel who also stars in the film. Segel has a great sense for how people act and interact and his dialogue bears this out. There is some great acting from Mila Kunis as a helpful, thoughtful hotel staffer. Jack McBrayer and Maria Thayer are truly hilarious as repressed newlyweds, Kristen Wiig is very funny as a passive-aggressive yoga instructor, Paul Rudd is almost unrecognizable as something like a human "Nemo", and Da'Vone McDonald is very funny as an opinionated and helpful staffer at the hotel.
Among the leads, Jason Segel is fantastic as a sad-sack TV show music composer whose life becomes very complicated when the TV star who he breaks up with (Kristen Bell), is at the resort where he is trying to escape from her. Segel communicates a great deal of humanity and seems very likable which makes us more sympathetic to his plight. Russell Brand absolutely steals every scene he is in as an over-sexed but not very talented music star. The songs which Segel wrote for Brand are hilarious and Brand absolutely steals the film with his full-throated depiction of his inane, over-the-top music star.
The writing and direction are very good and the performances, as noted, are wonderful. There is lots of profanity and quite a bit of male nudity which is quite funny in and of itself. At times it seems a little forced but only a bit and it doesn't distract from the essence of the film. This truly is a fantastically written film. Segel could have quite a career as a writer. I have to admit I found Jonah Hill quite annoying. I generally find him annoying and his "I'm overweight and a nerd" schtick has worn thin and never more in this film. I thought it was funny how friendly hotel staff was, but these are tiny reservations. I highly recommend this hilarious film.