The Perfect, Raunchy, Romantic Comedy

My review of Forgetting Sarah Marshall may end up being just a bit biased.  I love the film, in its entirety, and sincerely think it might be one of my favorite comedies.  Ever.  However, FGM also happens to be a film which I saw on a first date.  A first date that eventually led to an engagement.  An engagement which was brutally called off on my birthday.  So, seeing as the film is about the cruelty of breakups, I relate to it.  A lot.  I loved it the first time I saw it, and after what I’ve been through, I love it that much more.

The film is the story of Peter Bretter’s (Jason Segel) breakup with rising television star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell).  After five years of being together, Marshall comes home to announce that she has moved on to a new man, Aldous Snow (Russel Brand).  Peter finds himself stuck in a world consisting of nothing but memories of the relationship and is talked into taking a vacation by his step-brother Bill (Brian Better).  Peter recalls Marshall’s favorite spot in Hawaii and heads there for a week long escape.  But, as luck would have it, Marshall also happens to be visiting the same resort.  Peter spends the week trying to get over his past, make new friends, and cope.  He finds it difficult; however, when sharing the same resort as the person he’s trying to forget.

Jason Segel wrote the screenplay and plays Peter to perfection.  There’s not one moment in the movie where you doubt his sincerity for what is going on.  His conflict with Marshall is driven that much more by the beautiful front desk clerk, Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis).  You can tell that both Segel and Kunis understand their characters and as such there is plenty of chemistry between the two.  In a film where character and relationships are so crucial, these two nail it.

I’ve never really been a fan of Ms. Bell, but she works perfectly here as the annoying, controlling, and mostly pathetic ex.  In fact, between this film and her role on the television show Heroes, she’s really locked down the role of ‘annoying’.  There are a few fun pop-up characters here as well, including the infamous Paul Rudd as a surfer-dude resort employee, Jonah Hill as a hostest/waiter, and Jack McBrayer as a loosely confused newlywed. 

Whether you’re in the mood for a comedy, or have just recently been dumped, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is an ideal choice.