Judd Apatow is in the middle of an amazing run of movies that would have to be considered the best B- Comedies of the new century. He of course has his fingerprints on Superbad (2007), Knocked Up (2006) and The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005). These three movies are clearly the modern equivalent of the Holy Trinity of comedies from the long long ago, Caddyshack (1980), Meatballs (1979) and Animal House (1978). While Bill Murray sneaks into two of the earlier films, these comedies have little in common except for being the best quotable movies of that era. Gunga-galunga.
When Forgetting Sarah Marshall starts, Jason Segel stars as Peter, the boyfriend of TV star Sarah Marshall who plays a forensic investigator on a generic cop show on one of the networks. Ex- Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell plays the woman at the heart of the heartache with the intensity of an LA social climber. The Baldwin du jour starring in the clips of the show nails the ham-fisted density of David Caruso from CSI:Miami. Anyway, Sarah dumps Peter and hilarity ensues as he tries to get over his famous ex-girlfriend. After a month of hilarious weeping and dating, Peter gets away to a Hawaiian hotel they always planned to visit. Unfortunately, Sarah is there with her new boyfriend an insufferably dense British rocker. And Peter is alone. Painfully.
Mila Kunis plays Rachael the hotels customer service rep and the new love interest for Peter as he stumbles from one painfully funny scene to another. Bill Hader shows up to play Peters stepbrother and give hilarious advice. Ultimately, Peter has to learn to get over his famous ex despite being around her constantly and get on with his life after Sarah. This being an Apatow- produced movie, there is full-frontal nudity of the male version and loads of simulated sex. I am sure that some of it will lead to You-Tube driven VM- fan wankery. But, there is a sweet message at the heart of the movie that drives the comedy as Peter learns to get past his famous ex.
In my opinion, Forgetting Sarah Marshall fits into the best of the Apatow produced movies coming in as maybe the fourth best film and acres ahead of the unfunny Walk Hard. It opens in a couple of weeks. See it. Just do not say I did not warn you about the male junk.