Unexpectedly tender yet still satisfyingly rambunctious comedy

Rating: 9/10 (22 September 2007)

With a title such as that, an audience is immediately given a sense of what to expect from such a film - a bawdy, vulgar examination of realistic events for the sake of comedy. Which, one must concede, is essentially what Knocked Up is... but director Judd Apatow, best known for his work on The 40 Year Old Virgin and television show Freaks and Geeks, is too cunning to coast by on such a premise. Instead, like in Virgin, surprising focus is bestowed on the touching, sentimental aspects of the story without shirking on the side-splittingly vulgar one liners, crafting an intricate balance between the tender and the raucous - the result being surprisingly credible, however quirky or profane.
Compared to most of Apatow's other efforts, Knocked Up boasts a far more mature tone and subject matter - while this summer's Superbad dealt with the transition from teenagehood, and 40 Year Old Virgin a juvenile man finally growing up, Knocked Up is concerned with the front of accidental adulthood and responsibility, and despite having a younger male lead, the film is all the more "grown up" as a result. The concept of a couple getting to know each other after having already drunkenly conceived a child is an intriguing (and frighteningly possible) one, and Apatow's script may not shy away from any of the more physical aspects of the pregnancy process (guffawing teenage viewers better get ready for lots of morning sickness vomiting, a substantial amount of gynaecologist talk, and a no punches pulled birth scene) but the film is all the more human as a result.
Of course, the majority of the success of a film centering in on an unexpected pregnancy would depend on the strength of its leads, and Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl prove more than up to the challenge, with tremendous chemistry, charm and wit. Rogen, a master at playing both gruffly charming and haplessly bewildered, easily merits his newfound leading man status - throughout the film, as Rogen's Ben Stone arcs from juvenile slacker to accidental future parent, he remains consistently endearing and sympathetic, as well as incredibly funny. Heigl also proves surprisingly charismatic and credible as the soon to be mother in question. Though her performance may come across as stunted at the film's beginning, we as the audience gradually realize that the character herself is fairly emotionally stunted, and not entirely clear who she is - right off the bat she is presented as an ambitious careerwoman still living in the guest room of her sister and brother-in-law's house. As the film (and the pregnancy) advances, Heigl is given more of a chance to flex her dramatic muscles, culminating in a highly satisfactory performance.
But despite the charm of the central couple, Apatow once again puts substantial focus on the supporting cast, extracting many a laugh from what could have been senseless archetype figures. Scene stealing Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann (Apatow's real life wife) bicker excruciatingly as newlywed parents, and are a constant source of either laughter or justifiable disgust. Rogen's stoner buddies, including Jonah Hill and Jay Baruchel are consistently hilarious; a wonderful melange of sexual humour, pop culture banter and brilliant one liners perfectly benefiting such talented players. Character actor Alan Tudyk is also a scream as Heigl's fitness obsessed boss, and Apatow's tongue in cheek celebrity buddy cameos (including James Franco, Steve Carell and Jessica Alba) raise many a chuckle.
While at two hours and ten minutes, the film does feel about 10-20 minutes too long, the plot begins to repeat itself before the end and certainly doesn't shirk from unabashedly clichÃ©ed moments and an unrealistically upbeat ending, it's near impossible to imagine or even want such a film to end on a different note. But such criticisms pale in the face of such an undeniably impressive work - for the first time, Apatow has made his brand of humour accessible to a far wider demographic, contrary to whatever reacting might be evoked by the film's title. Providing both the (no pun intended) belly laughs one would expect from such a film, and brilliant human introspection, all filtered through the rambunctious and filthy comedic lens of today, Knocked Up hits all the right notes -a surprisingly touching, undeniably realistic and thoroughly entertaining take on "growing up" and accepting responsibility.
-9/10