KNOCKED UP
US, 2007, 129 minutes, Colour.
Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Martin Starr, Iris Apatow, Maude Apatowe, Joanna Kerns, Harold Ramus, Alan Tudyk, Kristen Wiig, Loudon Wainright III. Cameos: Ryan Seacrest, James Franco, Steve Carell, Andy Dick, Jessica Simpson, Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba.
Directed by Judd Apatow.
Writer-director, Judd Apatow, has the knack of offering provocative titles for his comedies – at least for those who are alert to sex comedies, either for or against. He also has the skills in creating some crass jokes and allowing his cast to improvise. But he also has the know-how to make his sex comedies moral fables for today’s generation which is less puritanical and/or inhibited than some past generations. The 40 Year Old Virgin was about love and respect as well as sex. Knocked Up’s paean to pregnancy, motherhood, fatherhood and responsibility and family love outweighs the casual sex angle which the title and the opening of the film highlight. Even the final credits show the cast and crew’s baby photo album.
So, casual sex and the consequences, decisions for life and the repercussions. This is really a very strong pro-life comedy.
However, the characters!
Seth Rogan is Ben, one of a group of slackers who like min-Jackass kinds of pranks and are preparing a website to offer information about nude scenes by famous stars and when they occur in the movie. We are introduced to a bunch of little boys in adult guise who experience no urgency in life at all. By chance Ben meets Alison who is celebrating her promotion to on camera interviewer on Channel E. They drink, they dance, they go home together and…
One of the interesting things about our response to the characters is how the progress of the film alters our perceptions of them and our attitudes towards them. There is practically nothing about Ben that commends him. His tasteless verbal gaffes, his getting high, his idiotic behaviour offer very little hope. And, yet, he does it. He changes gradually. He begins to grow up. And everyone hopes that he will be a great father.
Katherine Keigl is Alison who is shocked at the pregnancy, makes a decision, against her mother’s advice, to keep the baby. We share the pregnancy with her – and her mood swings.
Her controlling older sister (played incisively by the director’s wife, Leslie Mann – with their actual daughters as the children here) alienates her loving husband (Paul Rudd) and Alison feels they are terrible role models. Of course, Debbie needs a good talking to, at least, and does get some – so there is hope in that household as well.
Knocked Up is not quite so overtly funny as was The 40 Year Old Virgin. It is more of a smile comedy, but nonetheless is always amusing. The crass slackers and their interests are neatly and mockingly set up for parody.
The film has been a box-office bonanza in the US and with its touches of the raunchy (not too much given some of the youth oriented films these days) and with its obvious love for family and babies, it will appeal to a lot of audiences.
1.The popularity of the film? Humour? Themes? Real life?
2.The title, expectations? Tone? The fact and its consequences?
3.The situation humour, people comparing their ordinary experiences with those of the characters? The visual gags? The verbal humour, the ironies, the crass humour, the critique of crass humour? Movie buffs and the Hollywood references? The entertainment of the cameos – especially Ryan Seacrest spoofing TV interviewers and guests? James Franco and his bewilderment? Steve Carell and his appearing unpleasant and the comments?
4.The introduction to Ben and his friends, the club, the jackass-like behaviour, slackers, the individual characters, the bet about the beard growing, paying the rent? Ridiculing Martin? The website and the information about nudity? The drinking, getting high? Their attitudes towards life? Crass humour and remarks? Ben within this context?
5.The contrast with Alison, her life, living with Debbie and Peter, the kids, driving them to school, pacifying the children – and the humour of the children’s interactions? At work, Ryan Seacrest and his outburst? Her work on the staff? The interview with the bosses – and the humour of their giving her an on-screen job? The assistant and her wry comments all the way through? Alison’s excitement, telling Debbie, their going to the club, being let in, the bartender ignoring them, the encounter with Ben, his buying the beers, Jay and Ben coming to the table, Jay and his flirting with Debbie? Debbie going home, the dancing, the drinking, Alison and Ben going home, the sexual encounter, the issue with the condom? The aftermath, the morning after, breakfast? Giving her card?
6.Debbie and her illness, on screen, with James Franco? The editor? With Alison, the supermarket, getting all the tests, positive? Going to visit the doctors? Ringing Ben, his crass reaction to the news, his change of heart? Accompanying her to the great range of doctors? Her decision to keep the baby, the discussions with her mother who wanted it aborted? Ben and his discussion with his father, his father’s affirmation about life, love and happiness?
7.The decision to go with having the baby, talking it over with Ben, his agreement, the shopping for the baby clothes, Debbie and the present of the cot, meeting her girlfriends, the explanations? Ben and his mates, their discussions? Alison and her getting to know Ben, the outings, talk, the earthquake, looking through his things? Liking him, their falling in love? The various episodes, buying the books – and his not reading them?
8.The contrast with Debbie and Peter, Debbie and her control, the kids, life at home, Peter going away, the group following him, discovering the fantasy baseball group? Alison and her worry about them being models of marriage? Peter and Ben becoming friendly, talking, the decision to go to Las Vegas, the mushrooms, the circus and the trip? Alison and Debbie, going to the club, the bouncer refusing, Debbie losing her temper, the bouncer giving his sad talk – but not letting the old and the pregnant into the club?
9.The progress of the pregnancy, the weeks and information given? The different effects on Alison? Hormonal? Her being argumentative – and the outburst in front of the nurse? The effect on each other?
10.The background of the four friends, their characters, behaviour, crass, Jonah and his girlfriend, Martin and his getting high, the beard getting longer, Jay and his flirting with Debbie? Jason and his obtuseness? Checking the facts about nudity on the films? Checking the times, the film jokes? Ben, with them, gradually changing, getting a job, buying the apartment, having the early night?
11.The birthday party with Debbie and Peter, the tensions?
12.The TV studio executives, wanting a pregnant on-air interviewer? For the mothers? Wanting Alison to be tight after the birth? The satire on TV administration – and Hollywood not liking liars?
13.Alison and time for the birth, the phone call, Ben and his coming, her being in the bath, ringing the doctor, his being away at the bar mitzvah, ringing for help, the drive to the hospital, the nurse and his work, the doctor and the past experience with him, harsh attitude, the issue of drugs, Ben and his discussions with him in the corridor, his change of approach, the natural birth? The birth and detail? Debbie coming in, Ben ordering her out? Peter and the camera? The various friends turning up and waiting in the waiting room?
14.The delight with the birth, everybody happy, the consequences, especially for Alison and Ben – driving at twelve miles an hour on the road?
15.The humour, the moral perspective, values? Marriage, pregnancy, children, family? In a flip and contemporary context?
