Just Do It Already

Rating: 8/10 (25 April 2007)

Greetings again from the darkness. "Freaks and Geeks" lives on through multiple tie-ins - not the least of which is writer/director and producer Judd Apatow (best known for his smash hit "40 Year Old Virgin"). This is a sharp comedy and cutting insight thanks to a terrific script, excellent comedic timing from Seth Rogen and Apatow's feel for a scene.
Rogen plays Ben Stone, a slacker who spends all his time smoking pot with his friends and conceptualizing an "informational" web site. One evening, while hanging with his buds in a club, he stumbles onto a ridiculously beautiful and ripe for the taking Katherine Heigl (Izzie from Grey's Anatomy). One thing leads to another and the next thing we know Heigl's character, Alison, is knocked up.
It would be easy to classify this as a slapstick comedy in the mode of "Wedding Crashers", but in fact, Apatow's script offers up some insightful commentary on marriage, family and relationships of all types. Apatow's real life wife, Leslie Mann, plays Heigl's sister who dreams of the perfect marriage, but is crushed when she discovers her husband's secret (not what you think). Mann's "cheating" husband is played brilliantly by Paul Rudd ... who flashes a very nice DeNiro impersonation.
The only weaknesses of the film are the shortage of scenes between Heigl and Rogen, and the fact that the film probably lasts 15 minutes too long. The whole Las Vegas sequence could have been cut. Still, this is not your typical comedy and please be prepared for some harsh (and loud) language and some very graphic visuals ... it is rated R for more than one reason! Apatow is creating his own look and feel and shows flashes of brilliant comedy writing. He could challenge the Cohen Brothers in the near future for the throne of off-beat comedy. Don't miss the fine songs from Loudon Wainwright III - especially the one playing over the closing credits.