Superbad

“Take off the vest, you look like Aladdin.” I’m sorry, the Orson Welles shoutout was fucking fantastic, part of me wonders how he’d feel about it. It somewhat sums up the humor of the movie, which is obviously one of the best things about it. I mean, who doesn’t want to tell a girl who’s undressing for them that they’re “the prettiest girl this side of the Mississippi”? I might steal that. Jokes aside, Superbad is forward and proud of the kind of movie it is and in that fiercely proud appearance I actually think it does something unexpected. Superbad doesn’t feel forced to me. Superbad feels like Dazed and Confused if it could be rated R twice over. From that internal assessment I made, I deduce that much of the movie's appeal to me is the timing in the characters' lives. I’ll get to it in a minute, but I can’t tell you how much that simple choice assists the movie. It’s funny, the only mega satirical comical movie I’ve seen that compares to this is The Dictator and yet it really is no comparison. The Dictator, for all the comedy and light meaning to it, is shallow. It’s funny, but that’s where the description stops. Superbad is funny, funnier than The Dictator, and is surprisingly cinematic and well-rounded. The characters are likable and multi-dimensional and some of that is the fact they’re going through a universally experienced time. Even at Seth’s worst and least likable, he’s just a confused and upset teenage guy. Fogle and Evan are so likable and generally good young men just going through life. What stood out was how fucking well they develop throughout the film. It should be shallow, it should be one note, it should be predictable, and yet it’s just not. Superbad has these young guys change remarkably throughout its duration of the film, and it’s the singular trait that propels the film to that five star level. I love comedies, and to find one as well put together and thought out as Superbad is like cold water on a summer day. It’ll never not be refreshing. Lastly, the story element is damn good. The themes are probably the most predictable and easily laid out part of the film, but even then I still find them truthful enough and fun enough to appreciate in a filmmaking sense. As dumb as it sounds, I bet Superbad actually made a difference in party culture. I was 7 when it came out, so I was more concerned with Yu-gi-oh and shit then. I don’t feel bad making this a five star movie, I have zero guilt with that decision. I love Superbad, and I can’t wait to watch it again and laugh just as hard. Also, Seth and Jules tiramisu looks like absolute dogshit.