‘Superbad’ is
super hilarious

At the Movies
By Senitra Horbrook

Dictionary makers might as well go ahead and add "McLovin" to next year’s version. Thanks to the movie Superbad, McLovin will probably become a regularly used word for many teenagers.
Superbad is one of this summer’s funniest movies, although it’s crude, rude and has one particularly bloody gross-out scene. For fans of the teen sex comedy genre, Superbad will be one for the collection and parts of it will be quoted for years to come.
Coming off the successes of The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Superbad producer Judd Apatow has the name recognition to draw in an audience. Relatively unknown director Greg Mottola will probably now be in high demand. Seth Rogen (who starred in Knocked Up) and his friend Evan Goldberg are said to have written Superbad as teenagers based on their lives. They even name the main characters after themselves.
Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) basically have two things on their mind throughout the entire film — booze and sex. They are two losers who have never been invited to any cool parties, but Seth’s crush Jules (Emma Stone) invites him to a party because he says he can bring the alcohol. Evan’s crush Becca (Martha MacIssac) will also be at the party, so they both think it is the perfect opportunity to lose their virginity before going away to college.
It just so happens their other nerdy friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is about to get a fake ID and can buy them alcohol. Fogell becomes the aforementioned McLovin as his ID includes the laughable name.
Two crazy cops (played by Rogen and Bill Hader) have a little too much screen time for me. They are completely not believable as cops and just take up a lot of time.
The language is probably pretty accurate for how teenage boys talk, but it is sort of unnerving to hear the F word so many times (186, according to Wikipedia). The film focuses heavily on the friendship between Seth and Evan, who are going away to different colleges in the fall after having been best friends their whole lives.
The character of Seth is really a jerk. He often seems heartless and misogynistic. Jonah Hill (Knocked Up, Accepted) is funny in bit parts, but as a lead in Superbad, he is unable to make Seth endearing.
Even though I’m supposed to be rooting for him, I could care less if he gets the "hot chick." On the other hand, Evan is sweet and more considerate and if there’s anyone deserving of the girl, it’s him. Michael Cera (most known for his role on Arrested Development) does a good job of making Evan likable.
The movie’s breakout star, however, is newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse. McLovin is so geeky and awkward he makes Screech (the nerd from the TV show Saved by the Bell) seem cool. His scenes in the liquor store trying to buy alcohol with his fake ID are among the film’s funniest. His exchanges with the cops are also well-done.
People in their late teens and in their 20s will probably enjoy this movie the most, as their high school days are still in recent memory. If you weren’t among the nerdy guys in high school, you probably knew them and they behaved like Seth and Evan.
Guys will probably enjoy this movie more than the ladies will, as it is all seen from the male point of view. It would have been nice to have more of a female perspective, but for the most part the females in the movie want the same things as the guys — booze and sex.
This type of humor may not appeal to everyone; those that it does will love Superbad because it is super funny. ••
Movie Grade: B+