There's No Forgetting Sarah Marshall

It’s a metaphor for a crap movie.

But it wasn’t. I actually quite enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Judd Apatow seems to have created an umbrella of talent which is now in full gear, turning out one flick after another. With the success of The 40 Year Old Virgin came a lot of attention for Apatow and by association his crew, who had previously been involved in several T.V. cult hits including Undeclared and Freak and Geeks.

What has happened since then is the usual capitalization on his talents by every studio that can get their hands on him. However, where prior neo-auteurs have “failed” – think Kevin Smith with his latest efforts and the body of work he has sat back and produced under the View Askew banner (e.g. Drawing Flies, A Better Place, Vulgar) – Apatow has largely succeeded. Apparently content to likewise sit back and take on the producing role, those he has worked with for years, including actors, writers, directors, second unit crew, and so on, have stepped up and worn various hats in these new productions.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the latest effort, and I think one of the better since Virgin. It worked for me on a level that Knocked Up did not. There were a lot of laughs, much like other efforts, but the script by Jason Segal (who also starred) was much more solid. At the end of Knocked Up I simply didn’t buy why the two leads got together and stuck it out – in Marshall I bought almost all of what happened.

One aspect that is continually refreshing about these Apatow flicks is simply their originality. Almost every one of the movies he is involved with are different, and I don’t just mean in the use of the Apatow-esque brand of comedy. The story is different, the characters nostalgic, yet original, the very structure of the story taking unexpected turns, not following due North at all times.

There is also that interesting twist, utilized in many of his associated works though perhaps most notably with Superbad, in which several scenes from the trailer do not make it into the final product. This is not at all uncommon with movies in general, but with Apatow and his crew, it seems as if it is being done intentionally – and why not? The type of humor is the same, and the essence of what we see in the trailer is delivered in the final product. So why not mix it up? Previews these days show far too much of the movie anyway (in fact its been one of my biggest pest peeves for years).

In this case, it’s almost as if the preview takes on a life of its own, offering content that is funny and refreshing. When the actual film comes around, not only do we get new content, but there is also an expectation of what is to come (as evidenced from the trailer) and the lack of fulfillment on those moments keep us guessing throughout the rest of the movie.

While I have enjoyed most of what he has worked on, some of it could have used a little work. The 40 Year Old Virgin was original and hilarious, also propelling a long time favorite of mine from his Daily Show days, Steve Carrell, to theatrical prominence. But I felt that it was overlong. That if a little more had hit the cutting room floor, the film would have been tighter. Knocked Up needed a little bit of a rewrite to shapes its characters and believability, while Superbad would have benefited from restructuring and refocusing in the tail end of the second act. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, however, pretty much worked for me on all levels.

Jason Segel gives one of his best performances, and although Mila Kunis could have been better, it wasn’t a bad role for her. Kristen Bell did a good job, while Russell Brand was hilarious as the Brit Aldous Snow. Even Bill Hader of SNL fame worked for me, although I actually enjoyed the brief performance of Liz Cackowski (also appearing on SNL, albeit only occasionally) as his onscreen wife, a little more.

While Apatow continues to work with big stars, and those he has helped become big stars, it is the work that has his personal touch on it, that I enjoy the most. I feel like Sarah Marshall has that unique Apatow stamp, even if he took a back seat in the production process. Given how much I enjoyed this film, I can’t wait for Pineapple Express in which he is again working with some of his past colleagues in what appears like it will be an odd comedy-crime-drama, filmed in the style and dress of a low-budget seventies flick.