As Mel Brooks said about "The Producers", the film rises below vulgarity...

Rating: 8/10 (15 March 2020)

"Superbad" is a teen-comedy overloaded with all the raunchiness and naughty humor you'd expect in the chronological vicinity than "American Pie" and those youth movies that pululated in the early 2000s (overlapping with straight horror through "Final Destination" or comedic with "Scary Movie"). And yet it managed to rise itself above the usual farces that have no pretension to go beyond their demographic target and provide something as funny as a parody, but smarter. In fact, it is parodic in the way it subverts many tropes of "wild nights" films à la Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused" but without betraying a spirit that makes fun of kids while respecting and forgiving them.
Take a scene like the "McLovin" fake ID, which can easily be regarded as one of the top 20 most emblematic 2000s movie moments: that scene's not funny alone because it turns a common teen-situation into something of a sitcom level (though the Hawaiian organ donor with a unique name à la 'Seal' is really something) but it's funny because it's played straight by the three characters. Fogell aka McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) sticks to his guns and even rationalizes the second name option. Seth (Jonah Hill) is shocked by Fogell's obliviousness and expresses it with loud angry tirades full of F-bombs. Evan (Michael Cera) is the voice of reason but even his words fail to flap Fogell's confidence of his genius.
Any lesser comedy would have made the 'McLovin' thing a revelation, but Greg Mottola's film makes the situation work on three levels: it's the set-up, the joke and the punchline that provokes the intervention of the two cops (Seth Rogen who wrote the film and Bill Hader) and enhances the film's hilarity with two unexpected additions. The incident also sets up the whole chain of events that will make Seth and Evan believe their friend has been arrested so they could go find another way to get the booze. Evan is by the way the name of Rogen's co-writer Goldberg and the story was based on their teen memories. And what they created was a fun comedy where the booze will matter less than the journey during which Seth and Evan will settle a few records and discuss the limits of their co-dependent friendship (and a few other things).
Meanwhile, it's Fogell/McLovin who has the time of his life with the two cops whose intervention will awake their youth memories, and the result is a gag-driven night with a few interesting insights about the social function of partying, especially if we talk of the last night before school is off. To some degree, "Superbad" can be regarded as a fine and clever mix between "last night" classic "Dazed and Confused" and the first "American Pie" which was also about boys aiming to lose their virginity before getting to university, which (let's face it) was one of the big issues of a young male in his early adulthood.
The comparison with "American Pie" is even more relevant because the film doesn't make fun of girls, though it portrays them as a sort of vehicles to fulfill guy's fantasies. Still, it's obvious from the start that the misconception of girls denounces the boys lack of maturity. But if that's played straight by Seth, the character of Evan provides a fine subversion because he does have a crush on a girl but doesn't rely on alcohol to get her. Seth's crush Jules (Emma Stone) also corrects his conception by mentioning she doesn't need intoxicationd and she might think of sex if the partner isn't inebriated. Let that be a lesson to immature shy boys who needs social fuel and given the recent 'date rapes' scandals, the angle taken by "Superbad" proves not only to be insightful and respectful but also salutary for the film's legacy.
Indeed, whether you think you need to be drunk to get the girl or that she should be drunk, "Superbad" does come with respectful answers that tie every element of the plot together without putting girls on a symbolic pedestal either, they can have as much immaturity and insecurity as their fellow guys. It also shows a strong friendship being undermined by two existential issues when we say goodbye to the teenage years: girls and studies. The director handles the script with a sharp but tender eye, he seems to go for the over-the-top raunchy comedy at times but"Superbad" ends up being as sweet and heart-warming as "The 40-Year Old Virgin". It is really a high point in teen comedies, that allowed two actors to bloom: two-time Oscar-nominee Jonah Hill and three-time nominee and Oscar-winner Emma Stone. That's how old the film is; and how better it'll get with time, like a good wine or a Goldslick Vodka.
And the cast looks all like teenagers despite being in their early 20s (except for McLovin) and once again, a bad comedy might have cast Seth Rogen in the titular role, the film didn't fall in that trap.
Now, the film refreshed many memories that I have already mentioned them in "Lady Bird", I laughed loud at the obvious gags but also for subtle moment like like the market vendor, and subtle moments like the vest or when Seth puts on Evan's father clothes, because I'm guilty of having used adult clothes and even a vest to look more adult. As for the obsession with "losing it" or the misconception of alcohol as a romantic tool, I'm glad a film took that up to eleven, showing that there's not much equity between boys and girls on that level. And it's only fair to have a few laughs about that.
And the film is funny, over-the-top and its satisfying coming-of-age ending makes up for the bits of naughtiness. And the ending drawing montage is the icing of the cake, showing the writing talent of Rogen and Goldberg, who raises a monument of vulgarity and bad taste to a high level of fun, like Mel Brooks with "The Producers".