Hollywood decided to release a few non-sequels this summer, and the comedy “Knocked Up” is one of those freshman entries. Written and directed by the genius behind “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” Judd Apatow has returned to familiar comic territory in this story about relationships between groups of men, groups of women and between both sexes. “Knocked Up,” with its juvenile and raunchy humor, actually has poignant moments about dating, marriage and having a child while keeping you laughing in the aisles.
Seth Rogan (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) is Ben Stone, a slacker pothead who lives in an apartment with several of his male friends who spend their days putting each other down and watching porn amid amusing social commentary. Ben goes to a dance club with his friends one night and meets Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl, TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy”), who is out with her sister Debbie (Leslie Mann, “Big Daddy”) celebrating a promotion Alison got at work. Alison and Ben have too much to drink, leading to a one-night stand in Debbie’s guesthouse. With Alison being a motivated TV executive at E! Television and Seth having not worked in years, the two quickly learn the next morning that they have little in common. Thinking they would never see each other again, fate intervenes as Alison finds out she’s pregnant and decides to give Ben a second chance.
The story closely follows the pregnancy from conception to birth, remarking hilariously on the different milestones along the way. Ben is a loveable loser who says the rudest things in such a good-natured way that they come off more cute than offensive. While Rogan doesn’t have the acting range of Steve Carell, the star of “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” his performance works within the confines of the story. He relates well with Debbie’s husband, Pete, as played with sly wit by Paul Rudd (TV’s “Friends”). The two share the secret language of “guy-ese,” which infuriates Alison and Debbie but makes for some of the funniest bits in the film.
Heigl has some comical moments at her job, whether its meeting with her boss and a jealous female supervisor about the promotion or trying to calm Ryan Seacrest of TV’s “American Idol” during a live taping.
However, the real scene-stealer of the film is Leslie Mann - the director’s actual wife - as Debbie. Where Debbie is confrontational and first to anger, her husband Pete provokes her with his aloofness, making for some rude and vile verbal exchanges. Their children are products of this dysfunctional environment, but they only add to the comic interludes by asking inappropriate questions at the most awkward times. Debbie will not take lip from anyone - whether it’s her husband, easygoing Ben or the bouncer at the local club - and usually gives better than she gets.
Where “Knocked Up” could have been overly silly without any substance, the story has a point and the characters have epiphanies about their behavior and their changing feelings. The director manages to move the unimaginable idea that Ben and Alison could work as a couple at the beginning of the film to one where the audiences wants them to stay together by the end.
This movie presents the darker side of relationships and how hard it can be to make things work between two people. Meanwhile, the audience gets to enjoy another hilarious trip into Apatow’s demented mind.
I’m anxious to see what this guy will come up with next. Rated R for sexual content, drug use and language
