I'm still formulating an opinion on Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up", but I will say my initial response was laughter and uncomfortable wincing, which I think is the point. I think Apatow is getting at really interesting themes of what it means to be a man right now in a culture of compulsive male heterosexuality where ideas about women, sex, relationships, and a man's general purpose and place in the world are entirely skewed and effected by video games, post-college slackerdom, and movies centered around male friendships ("American Pie", "Swingers", "Wedding Crashers", etc.). His comedy is bleak but true and nonjudgmental. I think he's a filmmaker to watch with his vulgar bite and specific point of view that at times is a funny as it is shrewd and heartbreaking.
Listen to this interview on npr with Apatow and his neo-Dustin Hoffman (circa "The Graduate" in all of his unconventional leading man glory), as Newsweek so effusively put it, Seth Rogen.
A lengthy feature on Apatow in the New York Times is also worth checking out.
And Slate offers a refreshing perspective on "Knocked Up" that wonders if Apatow's films are not entirely as insightful about women as they are about men.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
the pathos of the man-boy
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2 comments:
i want to see this movie, because i'm sure it's hilarious, but it's going to be really, really, really tough for me to suspend my disbelief that she wouldn't just go out the next day and get some Plan B and be done with it. to quote heigel in grey's anatomy, "seriously?!?"
i read that slate article, and i definitely agree with most of it, but i also think that the women in 40YOV were pretty realistic, especially catherine keener and her daughter.
it's good to see judd apatow get some credit of being brilliant. all people had to do was watch freaks and geeks to realize it.
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