Confused feelings but fun nevertheless....

Rating: 7/10 (28 December 2007)

I had heard about this movie when it came out in the theatres, but knowing fully well that will never get a theatrical release here in India i kind of forgot about it.
Then I came across the DVD and since it was a name i recognised i got it. I didn't expect much really other than standard Jude Appatow/Steve Carrel humour mixed with some standard teen comedy.
What I've noticed with Jude is that he always evokes confused feelings, one side you will have pretty accurate description of how people look, feel and behave and at the same time you will have over the top and slapstick characters. The same movie will have thought provoking moments as well have moments that are so over the top, that they annoy.
Well in this case its mixed with the teen movie formula, there's always the fat guy, the super nerd, the guy who's a semi-nerd but is actually going to become cool (most of whom are virgins), underage drinking, YOU KNOW THE DRILL.
What Jude does is add a slight twist to the genre, which is sometime satirical, sometimes slapstick, sometimes just plain funny, and at others just plain irritating or boring.
The acting is fine from the entire cast, especially good is Mintz as Mclovin, even the girls who are unfortunately not that hot have done a fine job (another example of accurate representation no 25-35 yr old hotties playing teens here).
The background score was ordinary enough to be missed.
Direction, cinematography etc don't really matter that much with such subject matter and was pretty standard.
The humour was subtle sometimes and over the top on many others, the abusive language had novelty value in "40 year old" but has completely lost its charm here, the one liners are OK,ITS MUCH MORE ABOUT THE WHOLE DIALOGUE HERE THAN ONE LINERS.
There are some really good scenes like the liquor store, and the entire Mclovin Cops saga, but there were many ordinary scenes like the gangs, and couple of the ending sequences.
THE MOVIE DOES FEEL KIND OF SPACED OUT MUCH LIKE KEVIN SMITH'S MOVIES, In fact SOMETIMES I GET THE FEELING THAT I AM INDEED WATCHING A KEVIN SMITH FILM.
Which bring us the MOST IMPORTANT PART EXPECTATIONS, I really didn't know that this movie was once in the "Top 250", if had watched this movie with those expectations needless to say i would have been very disappointed, i watched it expecting merely good hence i enjoyed this movie, I'm sure PEOPLE OTHER THAN FANS WILL REALLY BE DISAPPOINTED IF THEY WATCH WITH VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
Fans and people who like such humour as shown by Steve Carell, Jude, Kevin Smith, will really like this movie others may enjoy it if they don't expect too much,THOSE THAT LIKE STANDARD AND SIMPLE COMIC FARE (like me) HAVE A VERY HIGH CHANCE OF BEING DISAPPOINTED (luckily i wasn't).Im not that sure girls will like this movie either.
Watch with due considerations.
-s some really annoying/gross/boring scenes, weak stereotypical end, NO REALLY BIG FUNNY SCENE.
+/-s humour gets a bit spaced out sometimes,not exactly short in length.
+s the entire Mclovin Cops sequence, good acting, SOME REALLY GOOD DIALOGUES.
total 7/10 ( but thats only because i didn't expect much and it met my expectations, i wont lie that I'm tempted to be dishonest and put a low rating just to pull down the overall ratings, I CAN ENJOY THIS HUMOUR FOR A CHANGE ONCE IN A WHILE BUT GIVE ME SIMPLE HUMOUR ANYDAY).