SHMR #7: Zach and Miri Make a Porno

Zach and Miri Make a Porno -2008
Directed By:
Starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks

So, despite it's name, I had some hopes that this movie would be a sweet little romantic comedy. Unfortunately, I was let down big time. Yes, there is a lot of sex in this movie and yes, there are some funny moments here and there, but the movie seemed to just be another in the long line of disappointing films starring Seth Rogen focusing on an average guy who gets the hot girl. It is a cheap and sloppy follow up to the original Seth-Rogen-gets-the-hot-girl movie Knocked Up, which, for all of it's crude humor and cheap situational laughs, was rather descent.

Two roommates, Zach and Miri, are strapped for cash and SOL when their landlord turns off their electricty and water the day before Thanksgiving. They decide at that point that if they want to make some money fast, they must make a porno. It is a lame concept and I doubt poeple in the real world would jump to the "let's make a porno" option as quickly as they did, but, alas, they had a movie to make so the audience has to just go with it. The supporting cast offers some fun humor and give a nice family vibe to the whole situation. The conflicts that prevent the porno from being completed were too easy to call ten minutes in advance.

The movie is filled with unoriginal and unnatrual dialogue between the two main characters and it is easy to tell from the very beginning that they belong together. Unfortunately, from the time the audience realizes this to the time the movie ends is far too long.

The movie has a nice, sweet, cookie-cutter Romantic Comedy ending (sorry if that spoils the movie, but you see it coming from the opening credits...I'm not giving away much) which just ads to the overly cliched style of the whole predictable movie. My advice is to save your $.99 Blockbuster Rental Fee and use it to buy a goldfish. Goldfish are much more entertaining and much more intelligent.

Rating:
C-

However! I just wanted to make a note on Seth Rogen in general:

I hope that he will eventually shuffel off this "stupid movie" phase and become a more serious actor. I see a lot of similarities between him and Tom Hanks, who also started off playing the type-cast role of the everyday guy who gets the girl. Rogen has shown clear mass market appeal and could very well be on his way to major serious success if he learns to start making quality movies that have a point. I really like Seth Rogen in general- I think he has a lot of potential and if given the chance can be a really profound actor in serious movies. So, Mr. Rogen- please take a page from fellow funny-man Tom Hanks and try your luck at some roles with more depth than Zach and Miri Make a Porno.