Zack and Miri Make a Porno – 2008
*** Out of ****
Seldom (if ever) do I remember the mere contents of a films title causing such a fuss prior to release. The MPAA must have something very large protruding from their rectums, as to feel the need to initially slap Kevin Smith’s latest effort with NC-17 rating. I don’t know what the fuss is all about, but when Hostel: Part II can get an R, and Zack and Miri is in question, there is something rotten in
The simplest explanation is that they felt the title ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ publicly (such as on posters and commercials) divulged too much “information” regarding the raunchy content of the film. After watching Zack and Miri, I was quite shocked. Other then the frequent but not abnormally high occurrence of f-bombs, a quick male frontal scene and some shots of breasts, the movie is by Kevin Smith standards, tame. Even when comparing it to recent Judd Apatow flicks such as The 40-Year-Old-Virgin and Forgetting Sarah Marshall the structures are similar; they exhibit the same abundance of cussing, very similar subject matter and even use the ’08, ‘Full Monty’ craze, yet all received R ratings. All that is left is the world Porno, which in the context of the film is not outrageous or unnecessary, and will not cripple the youth of
Kevin Smith is the original king of gross-out comedy, with his classic film Clerks, ranking as one of my favourite all time comedies. After chick flick-ish efforts such as Chasing Amy and Jersey Girl, Smith has fused these two styles together into a film that exhibits equal parts raunch and sweetness. Although similar to the Apatow formula, Zack and Miri is easily distinguishable as a Kevin Smith film, even with the casting of Apatow regulars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. Disregarding all the hullabaloo, this film is simply funny. Plain and simple. Those who are at all interested should seek it out. If this is not your cup-o-porn, I mean tea, then don’t go watch it and call it outrageous. (Unless you mean it in a positive light)
Seth Rogen plays Zack, who shares a platonic relationship with his long time friend Miri (Banks). Finding themselves in dire financial straights, they try to enjoy the little things in life wherever possible. Following an eventful High School reunion, Zack gets the idea that all crosses through all our minds at one time or another; make a porno with Miri to drag themselves out of the gutter. While initially reluctant, Miri comes around and they begin production. Zack secures finances from his coffee shop co-worker Delaney (Craig Robertson), and then begins casting, securing the likes of Lester (Smith regular Jason Mewes), a stripper named Lacey (Katie Morgan), a ‘specialist’ named Bubbles (Traci Lords) and an oddball named Barry (David Early). Zack also recruits his hockey team-mate Deacon (Jeff Anderson, who you will recognize from Clerks) to film.
During the shoot however, something happens between Zack and Miri, and they begin to realize what they actually knew all along. The latter portions of Zack and Miri are mostly devoid of raunch, and devote time to the budding relationship of the two leads. Rogen and Banks exhibit excellent chemistry and the solid scripting by Smith makes the characters seem like real people. The two portions while strong on their own do not mesh seamlessly, but works well enough for me to still put forth a strong recommendation. This film is worth seeing for the scene stealing work by Justin Long alone, as the man who sets off Zack’s porno-inspired ambitions, as well as for the funniest ‘poo’ joke since, well, this decade at least. Zack and Miri will make good on making a porno, but they will make something else as well. They will make you laugh.
