The Spiritual Successor to Can't Hardly Wait

Rating: 6/10 (24 March 2008)

High school seniors Evan and Seth (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera), who had spent their years pining for girls but never chasing them, are about to graduate and go their separate ways, worlds apart. But before they go off to college, it's time for that one last high school party. The booze, the women and more... they are ready to become adults.
Let me lay it out there: "Superbad" is the spiritual successor to "Can't Hardly Wait", which is the spiritual successor to "Say Anything". This is a blessing and a curse. The blessing is we have the same concept that works time and again: the end of the high school years and a big party where the losers and nerds have to redeem themselves. Lloyd Dobbler (John Cusack) did it with Ione Skye, Ethan Embry's character did it with Jennifer Love Hewitt. Now Seth and Evan have that chance with Becca and Jules (Emma Stone). And this formula always works. (Also, these films tend to have good music. "Superbad" really taps the Bar-Kays, which is a wise move and a dang fine opening song.) The bad? Each reincarnation seems to be weaker, a copy of a copy (like "Multiplicity"). I liked "Superbad", but it didn't have all the iconic moments "Can't Hardly Wait" had. And before that, "Say Anything" will always be remembered for the boombox scene with Peter Gabriel. Even the best scenes of "Superbad" are disposable, and some of the best jokes (drunk cops, for example) are nothing new. The only really great parts are the rambles between Evan and Seth.
As a side note, I have to call attention to the girl who played Becca and state for the record how hot she is and how I feel she has a strong future. She's like the younger Alysson Hannigan, which we needed. And by being cast in the remake of "Last House on the Left", her acting career is cemented so long as they are able to make that film half as powerful as the original (a difficult task).
I highly recommend "Superbad", though if you're looking for a 2007 teenager movie, "Juno" should really be your primary choice. And if you like Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen, I cannot say that this is better than "Knocked Up". Maybe marginally, but only because this has more repeat viewing value. And I do fear that future collaborations will simply diminish... Judd Apatow is a ticking time bomb (though still strong as of July 2010).