A step up from "Pie"

Rating: 7/10 (11 November 2008)

Comparisons with American Pie are inevitable but in my opinion Superbad is the better of the two films. That's not to say that it isn't full of male teenage obsessions, bad language and sexual references. It certainly is. However in my opinion the film's intentions are in the right place while the American Pie series went for the "gross out" option a bit too often.
The plot is familiar. Nerdy teenagers are worried about their lack of sexual experience as the end of high school approaches. An unexpected opportunity presents itself as they are invited to a "cool girls" party. The catch is they have offered to supply the alcohol for the party. They believe obtaining the booze will almost certainly result in them reaching the "Holy Grail". Their attempts to get alcohol lead them into more and more outlandish situations as the evening progresses.
Perhaps what sets this film apart is the genuine attempt to deal with the teenage male relationships. The two main protagonists have been best friends forever. However one of them will be going to an Ivy League college, the other won't. The underlying tension both of them feel is dealt with well in the film.
One negative point for me was that I thought the incompetent cops (Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) had too big a role in the film. They are funny in the robbery scene but after that they almost become the main characters and I felt this just dragged out the film.
The performances are excellent. Michael Cera and Jonah Hill strike the right note as the best friends. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is very good as the kid so nerdy even the nerds are embarrassed to be seen with him.
Some of the humour is very broad and aimed at a mostly male audience but the film would be enjoyed by most people.