It is not Super, nor is it Bad, but like High School it seems like it never ends.

Rating: 6/10 (20 August 2007)

The return of the R-rated comedies is reaching full force, as we now have a new group of actors that's giving the Frat Pack some competition. Starting with the short-lived television shows "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared;" Judd Apatow, Seth Rogan, and a slew of other buddies have emerged from the shade and into the spotlight with consecutive hits. Already with one summer success under their belt (Knocked Up), the crew has decided to take on the R-rated High School genre. This genre doesn't see much success, with movies like American Pie becoming an exception to the rule. Nonetheless, with its inability to hold back punches and amazing amount of energy and chemistry amongst the actors and actresses, Superbad looks like a hit from a mile away. While this movie does indeed deliver more laughs than the American Pie films, it's still far from perfect. The movie drags, there isn't much content underneath the vulgarity and jaw-dropping moments, and it lacks the emotion and chemistry from previous hits "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." But if you are looking for a raunchy good time, then look no further, because Superbad is quite a naughty little flick.
Superbad follows two high school friends that are about to separate once the semester is over. Seth (Jonah Hill) is a vulgar, unsympathetic, foul-mouthed, and sex-starved class clown; while his best friend Evan (Michael Cera) is a shy nice guy who has strong feelings for the pretty Becca (Martha MacIsaac). Together, they will try to score with their current crushes by joining a party and promising alcohol---with the help of the nerdy and antisocial Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Along the way they will not only run into a bunch of quirky and sometimes dangerous scenarios, but it will also unleash the vent-up anger that all three have towards each other. Written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, these two know how to incorporate high school anxieties and fears and embarrassments without the movie feeling clichéd. What makes Superbad so fresh and unique is that it does not fear offending nor does it fear potentially grossing the audience out. In here we get some really raw dialogue, graphic imagery, and plenty of gross-out humor. Taking place over the course of one evening, Superbad follows in the footsteps of previous high school classics like American Graffiti.
Superbad is funny, no question, there are plenty of wonderful one-liners and funny moments (especially in the first act). Yet going past the humor, it lacks the heart that classic high school movies contain. Also it doesn't help that our main character is a bit of a jerk. Why Seth and Evan are together is a bit questionable considering that Seth usually has nothing good to say, and Evan has nothing but a pure good heart and admirable qualities. The black sheep of the trip is Fogell, whose appearance with the other two is also questionable considering the lack of decent treatment he gets. The audience winds up rooting for Fogell in the end of the movie, not really Seth (Or it could be because he's actually McLovin, like the previews showed). What keeps Superbad afloat is actually the well-written story, as the impossibility of accomplishing their mission becomes more and more present as the third act approaches. This movie steers in many unique directions, and becomes quite unpredictable.
Greg Mottola, not Judd Apatow like the commercials make it seem, is running the show. In the director chair, he limits the improvising and focuses more on the story. That's what makes Superbad less of a quotable movie than previous adult comedies, yet maintains stability---until the end. The third act practically runs out of steam, as it looks like they didn't quite know how to end the movie. Instead, we are received with an ending that leaves out characters for the last several minutes, and doesn't quite feel complete. You need a feel-good ending in these types of films, and it just wasn't delivered here.
Bottom Line: Superbad isn't an instant classic, nor is it a disappointing disaster. Instead, it's a decent flick with its issues and problems. The ending wasn't great, the main characters doesn't incite sympathy or support from the viewers, the running time felt a bit long, and it doesn't help that it has to follow-up to gems like recent adult comedies 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Wedding Crashers, and Harold and Kumar. The writing, directing, and editing were fine up until the very end, when they didn't quite know how to finish the picture. The acting was good, but the characters they were portraying just weren't that interesting(with the exception of McLovin). The genre has very few true classics and complete films, so despite the setbacks this still stands as one of the better high school comedies in recent years. Going with friends would definitely enhance the experience, as you all can relive the good ol' days of high school and the embarrassing moments that follow.