Monday 3 October 2011

DVD: FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008)

Okay, I bought this because it stars Jason Segel (who also wrote the script) from the TV series I love How I Met Your Mother. I think he's a very talented comic actor. That it also starred Kristen Bell from another favourite TV series -Veronica Mars- didn't hurt either. That it included Russell Brand wasn't, however, a selling point but in the event he was pretty good.

The plot is pretty basic. Composer of music of hit TV crime series is dumped by his girlfriend who is also the star of said series, and goes to a hotel in Hawaii to forget about it all only find his ex is there with new boyfriend but there is the distraction of the friendly and  pretty girl (Mila Kunis) on the reception desk. I think you can work out from the above photo who is playing whom.

I did watch the uncut version which I assume, apart from slightly extended scenes, there are more and longer shot of a naked Segel exposing his todger. (Note: todger is a slang British synonym used by a person who is too embarrassed to write the word penis.) If that in fact is the only difference, I would rather have watched the original. There's plenty of sex and female nudity (breasts), notably early on when Segel is trying to drown his sorrows in casual sex, usually for comic effect so no-one can say that it's just to show attractive naked women. Not that I'm complaining.

There's a little bit of meta-fiction as the part Bell plays is of an actress who learns halfway through the film that her TV series has been cancelled and she has to try for film roles. This is the exact situation Bell found herself in when Veronica Mars was sadly cancelled and, talented as she is, she hasn't exactly set the film world alight.

Brand is rather likeable as the completely amoral  British pop singer and he provides a nice counterpoint to Segel's serious and overemotional musician. Kunis is fine too and there are several good supporting characters.

The overall result is a rather enjoyable quirky romantic comedy with fine performances all round. There are nits to pick but I can't be bothered and I've just ordered (for 36p plus postage) another comedy with Segel in the lead role.


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