One of the funniest movies of the year

Rating: 10/10 (18 August 2007)

Superbad is essentially about two things: the first is friendship, the second is alcohol. The movie is very well made on several levels because it explores both aspects while cleverly disguising them with laugh out loud humor. Superbad centers around Seth and Evan who need to get alcohol for a party so they can get the girls of their dreams. This basic plot line allows for some intensely hilarious situations, many of them centering around their friend Fogell or "McLovin" and his experience with two policemen.
The film is very honest about itself and while the language and sexual explicitness is pumped up to a very high level, it depicts several aspects of high school life relatively well. The friendship between Seth and Evan feels real which keeps the film from becoming a cesspool of sex jokes and drugs. It also takes a very negative stance on alcohol, as apparent in the final scenes of the movie.
The film does not contain a great deal of nudity, but the sexual dialog is stretched to a maximum. The dialog becomes almost gratuitous at parts, but usually offers some very funny moments. There is not a weak link in the cast, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen and others do a great job as does director Greg Mattola on his first big project.
Superbad is a pleasant mix of witty humor, gross out jokes, and surprising devotion to it's morals. It achieves something more than just a funny movie, following in the footsteps of Knocked Up and Forty Year Old Virgin, although this time with a very different feel. It if nothing else is incredibly funny and offers some great future talent both in front of and behind the camera.