Dir. Nicholas Stoller,
2008, US, 112 mins
Cast: Jason Segel , Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand
Review by Matthew Rodgers
It’s hard to avoid being formulaic
in such a saturated genre as the rom-com, it’s even
more difficult when a film producers name becomes a brand
(double entendre there!) in itself, as is the case with any
title labeled “From the guys that bought you Knocked
Up and Superbad”, meaning Judd Apatow and his nerd
herd. So it’s with invigorating results that scriptwriter,
Apatow alumni and leading man, Jason Segel decides that there
is very little he can do to avoid cliché and comparison
(the Ben Stiller dud The Heartbreak Kid being the obvious
one) and embraces it using a world filled with “real” and “believable” characters
making this a sweet natured film that hammers the funny bone
and the heart in equal measures.
The titular Sarah Marshall (Bell – TV’s
Heroes) dumps the completely naked Peter (Segel – Knocked
UP) by way of our introduction to the story. “So what?” you
say. Well, the fact that he is completely naked and in tears
in front of his long-time girlfriend – a smash-hit
TV star – in a startling display of emotion that will
strike a chord with anyone on the receiving end of such heartbreak,
ensures that FSM hits the laugh counter early on and never
lets up. To make things worse, in order to get over the split
Peter heads to a Hawaiian retreat that unknown to him is
currently the locations of the object of his unrequited love
and her British, rockstar boyfriend Aldous Snow (Brand).
The set-pieces are understated, but
hilarious – Peter’s
Vampire opera deserves to appear in full length on the DVD
release – and it's a credit to director Nicolas Stoller
that he doesn’t rely on those to drive his film.
Instead it’s up to the roll call of superb performances
and FSM is full of break-out turns; Segel is fabulous as
the likable sad-sack and Mila Kunis (astonishingly, Meg from
Family Guy) is adorably cute. Add to this the presence of
Apatow stalwarts’ Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill who are
brilliant in smaller roles. The undeniable star though has
to be Blighty’s very own red-top Lothario Russell Brand
who steals almost every scene he appears in. Forget the preconceptions
brought to the role by his off-screen personality, because
even if it can only be loosely termed “acting” Brand
is a charming presence as Snow. He not only shines in bravado
moments such as the comedy ballad “Inside of You”,
but brings a winning human side to the love-rival character
that’s usually scripted as pantomime villain.
Ignoring the bound to be oft-used “Sarah Marshall
is hard to forget” quote that will adorn every poster,
it's best applied to the largest disappointment of the movie,
Sarah Marshall herself. Anyone who saw the now defunct Veronica
Mars TV show will know that Kirsten Bell is a fantastic actress
but she is given very little to do here except wear a pink
bikini. She has indeed been forgotten.
Another certifiable hit after the lamentable Drillbit Taylor
and criminally ignored Walk Hard, FSM is a break-up to make-up
sex-comedy that is rarely vulgar and wholeheartedly good-natured
with its bittersweet laughs.
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