An unforgettable comedy
It’s hard to have high expectations for a movie where the pasty and slightly overweight main character is nude within the first five minutes.
However, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is anything but disappointing. Peter (Jason Segel) may have several unpleasantly bare moments, but the ones in between are hilarious and sometimes endearing.
Peter flees to Hawaii after being dumped by his actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) only to find that she – along with her new rock star boyfriend – are staying at the same resort. His pitiful wallowing earns him the sympathy from the resort staff, especially from the charming Rachel (Mila Kunis) at the reception desk. In scenes that alternately make your heart break for the poor guy and others where his pathetic vulnerability is laughable, Peter makes important discoveries about himself, Sarah and their past relationship.
After the first scene, most viewers probably expect hilarious yet immature comedy to follow for the remainder of the film. The movie opens with Peter standing in front of his mirror making his pectorals dance while telling himself, “Good for you, Peter. Good for you.” He them pours himself fruit loops into a large mixing bowl and attacks it with a spoon, telling Sarah (pre-breakup) over the phone that he is enjoying a salad.
But after a few more scenes, audiences are charmed by the man who cries hysterically while watching late night reruns of “Project Runway” alone and has ambitions of creating a Dracula puppet musical. Peter becomes an unlikely hero of the film, evolving from direly pathetic to respectfully self-assured and ambitious.
Mila Kunis shines as the beautiful local with a tough side who teaches Peter to let go. She truly has grown up and is almost unrecognizable as the high-pitched teenage princess from “That 70’s Show.”
Jason Segel doesn’t do such a bad job either. Most recently playing the part of Seth Rogan’s loser best friend in “Knocked Up,” he takes a step up in this movie which he both starred in and wrote. With a pattern of similar films hitting theaters recently with identical humor and reappearing actors, Segel’s script works better than one would expect and sets it apart from the rest.
Catch “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” in theaters on April 18.
You can contact Campus Press Staff Writer Morgan Keys at morgan.keys@colorado.edu
