One should never underestimate Kevin Smith, the crass auteur whose career was launched back in 1994 with the low-rent, crudely hilarious indie CLERKS. Now, almost 15 years later, Smith has been overshadowed somewhat by the Judd Apatow factory of potty-mouthed big-screen comedy. Over the years, Smith has decided to make films that almost exclusively feature recurring characters that were created in his early films like CLERKS, MALL RATS, and CHASING AMY (still his best, most complete picture). His latest happens to be his sharpest movie in a few years, primarily due to his decision to move away from familiar characters and settings. Smith has always had a big heart as a writer. While his movies are obsessively profane, they always have a down-to-earth human element which reminds you that he’s a big softie inside. Whether or not he’s skewering religion as he did in DOGMA or trashing Hollywood in JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, Smith has always infused his movies with emotion and sentimentality which work as a buffer against the dick, fart, and bodily fluid jokes. His latest opus (and one of his best) is ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO (***1/2), which stars regular Apatow funny-man Seth Rogen and the delightful, sexy Elizabeth Banks.
Rogen is Zack, a schlubby barista at a local coffee shop who shares an apartment with his life-long best friend Miri (Banks), who holds some sort of menial job at a local shopping mall. They live in run-down Pittsburgh in an old-and-gross apartment; to say that the two of them barely eek by would be an understatement. After attending an embarrassing high school reunion where the two of them are constantly reminded of how dead-end their lives have become, they both realize that they need to make some big changes. Then, the next day, their water gets turned off. Next up to go is the electricity. What to do? Make a porno of course! Zack and Miri, who have never slept together, decide to put together a rag-tag filmmaking and acting team in order to produce a cheesy porno flick which they feel will make them some fast-cash. With nothing to lose, they set out to find their crew. Zack recruits the one guy he knows with money – his low-key (and married) friend from work, Delaney (the brilliant Craig Robinson from television’s THE OFFICE) – to be the film’s “producer.” When Delaney realizes that he’ll be involved with casting the actresses in the film, he immediately signs on. The film is immensely aided by Robinson’s constant underplaying of dialogue and situations; he provides the film with some of its biggest laughs. Also along for the ride is Smith regular Jeff Anderson (Randall from CLERKS) as the film’s cameraman; Jason Mewes (Jay from CLERKS and other Smith adventures) as a well-hung actor named Lester; and real-life adult film stars Katie Morgan and Traci Lords as the other actresses. The big question that the film asks is what will happen to Zack and Miri’s relationship after their big scene is filmed?
The film plays out in relatively predictable fashion but I didn’t mind. The movie is about its dialogue, and the heart and soul of the story rests on Zack and Miri’s friendship and their unexplored love. While nowhere near as realistic as Smith’s best film, CHASING AMY, and not as risk taking as something like CLERKS or DOGMA, Smith reminds Apatow and his cronies who kick-started this smutty type of filmmaking with some of the filthiest writing I have ever encountered in a major Hollywood production. I am not surprised, at all, that the film initially received an NC-17 rating, based solely on its language. When it comes to actual nudity and sexual activity, the film does have some fun in those areas, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Rather, it’s the frank discussion of body parts, sexual practices (both hetero and homosexual), and general level of casual vulgarity that serves as the film’s show-stopping elements. The performances are all solid, but Rogen and Banks are both terrific. Rogen, in films such as KNOCKED UP and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, has built an amazing reputation as his generations leading man of funny. And Banks, who is on quite a roll this year with terrific work in wide-ranging films such as DEFINITELY, MAYBE and W., hits all of her marks and exhibits major star power. She’s cute, she’s hot, she’s funny, and she’s ready to get down and dirty with the guys. I’m a huge fan. ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO could best be described as a raunched-out version of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. By the end of the film, while nothing will be a major surprise, you’ll have witnessed two characters, who begin the film as platonic friends, fall in love and discover that the emptiness that has encompassed their lives has now been fulfilled.
One should never underestimate Kevin Smith, the crass auteur whose career was launched back in 1994 with the low-rent, crudely hilarious indie CLERKS. Now, almost 15 years later, Smith has been overshadowed somewhat by the Judd Apatow factory of potty-mouthed big-screen comedy. Over the years, Smith has decided to make films that almost exclusively feature recurring characters that were created in his early films like CLERKS, MALL RATS, and CHASING AMY (still his best, most complete picture). His latest happens to be his sharpest movie in a few years, primarily due to his decision to move away from familiar characters and settings. Smith has always had a big heart as a writer. While his movies are obsessively profane, they always have a down-to-earth human element which reminds you that he’s a big softie inside. Whether or not he’s skewering religion as he did in DOGMA or trashing Hollywood in JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, Smith has always infused his movies with emotion and sentimentality which work as a buffer against the dick, fart, and bodily fluid jokes. His latest opus (and one of his best) is ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO (***1/2), which stars regular Apatow funny-man Seth Rogen and the delightful, sexy Elizabeth Banks.
Rogen is Zack, a schlubby barista at a local coffee shop who shares an apartment with his life-long best friend Miri (Banks), who holds some sort of menial job at a local shopping mall. They live in run-down Pittsburgh in an old-and-gross apartment; to say that the two of them barely eek by would be an understatement. After attending an embarrassing high school reunion where the two of them are constantly reminded of how dead-end their lives have become, they both realize that they need to make some big changes. Then, the next day, their water gets turned off. Next up to go is the electricity. What to do? Make a porno of course! Zack and Miri, who have never slept together, decide to put together a rag-tag filmmaking and acting team in order to produce a cheesy porno flick which they feel will make them some fast-cash. With nothing to lose, they set out to find their crew. Zack recruits the one guy he knows with money – his low-key (and married) friend from work, Delaney (the brilliant Craig Robinson from television’s THE OFFICE) – to be the film’s “producer.” When Delaney realizes that he’ll be involved with casting the actresses in the film, he immediately signs on. The film is immensely aided by Robinson’s constant underplaying of dialogue and situations; he provides the film with some of its biggest laughs. Also along for the ride is Smith regular Jeff Anderson (Randall from CLERKS) as the film’s cameraman; Jason Mewes (Jay from CLERKS and other Smith adventures) as a well-hung actor named Lester; and real-life adult film stars Katie Morgan and Traci Lords as the other actresses. The big question that the film asks is what will happen to Zack and Miri’s relationship after their big scene is filmed?
The film plays out in relatively predictable fashion but I didn’t mind. The movie is about its dialogue, and the heart and soul of the story rests on Zack and Miri’s friendship and their unexplored love. While nowhere near as realistic as Smith’s best film, CHASING AMY, and not as risk taking as something like CLERKS or DOGMA, Smith reminds Apatow and his cronies who kick-started this smutty type of filmmaking with some of the filthiest writing I have ever encountered in a major Hollywood production. I am not surprised, at all, that the film initially received an NC-17 rating, based solely on its language. When it comes to actual nudity and sexual activity, the film does have some fun in those areas, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Rather, it’s the frank discussion of body parts, sexual practices (both hetero and homosexual), and general level of casual vulgarity that serves as the film’s show-stopping elements. The performances are all solid, but Rogen and Banks are both terrific. Rogen, in films such as KNOCKED UP and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, has built an amazing reputation as his generations leading man of funny. And Banks, who is on quite a roll this year with terrific work in wide-ranging films such as DEFINITELY, MAYBE and W., hits all of her marks and exhibits major star power. She’s cute, she’s hot, she’s funny, and she’s ready to get down and dirty with the guys. I’m a huge fan. ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO could best be described as a raunched-out version of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. By the end of the film, while nothing will be a major surprise, you’ll have witnessed two characters, who begin the film as platonic friends, fall in love and discover that the emptiness that has encompassed their lives has now been fulfilled. 
3 comments:
Hey I've just been looking into all the stuff about the Cocaine Cowboys feature w Wahlberg and Dicaprio....Have you heard anything lately about the status? I'm not even sure if Leo is in or not.
All reports are from Feb, its now November so i'm just wondering if you know anything.
Haven't heard anything in a while on that one. I know Peter Berg is "attached" to direct and/or produce and that Leo and Marky Mark were attached as the leads. But haven't heard a peep in a while. My guess is that it'll be in development for a while. Everyone involved is up to their ass in new material/current projects.
Berg is gonna do Dune next, I think.
Much appreciated, thank you
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