2008 Woodie Awards
Superbad: Super good
Nick Gionfriddo
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Detour
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When writer/actor Seth Rogen and co-writer Evan Goldberg began writing Superbad they didn't know that it would be quite the success it has panned out to be.
When they wrote the film at age 13, the two knew that their teen comedy would be different than those that came before it. In an interview with Newsday.com, Rogen said, "American Pie came out after we started writing Superbad. And we thought, 'Oh nuts, they made the same movie.' But while that movie's great, and there are a lot of very funny parts, it really does not fully capture our experience, especially the way characters talk to each other."
Boy, did they nail it. With Jonah Hill playing Seth and Michael Cera playing the awkwardly funny Evan, every small quirk of the individual characters shows believable high-school interaction.
Playing his usual awkward self, Cera gives a believably classic performance when thrown into a terribly uncomfortable situation with hidden crush/superfreak Martha MacIssac. On the other hand, Jonah Hill's persona and knack for saying whatever he pleases complements Cera perfectly.
The gist of the movie follows the trendy all-in-one-day storyline, but has enough funny circumstances and extremely familiar situations for entertainment throughout. The real deal breaker though comes in the form of Fogell, better known as McLovin, the 25-year-old Hawaiian organ donor (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). His baby-face makes it especially hard not to laugh when he spits out rap catchphrases, and almost single-handedly steals the show.
Following on the one-day theme, the characters find themselves in a flurry of possibilities when Seth's comical demeanor lands him and Evan an invite to Jules' party, played by Emma Stone. From there the chronicled adventures of Seth, Evan, and McLovin intertwine into a crazy mess of trying to find alcohol for the party with Foggel's fake ID and trying to actually making it to the party alive, that will have you asking, "Did they really just say/do what I thought they did?" With cameo performances from Rogen and fellow actor Bill Hader (as Officer Slater), the cast throughout the movie is loaded with talent.
Already working off the success of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Rogen is slowly showing that he is building a comical empire full of comedians not hindered by political correctness, and writers who are highly capable storytellers. With a cast that fits as well as this one does, Rogen really got it this time. If Knocked Up and Superbad aren't clear examples of what the comedy world is in for, then I don't know what is. Rogen is taking the nation by storm.
When they wrote the film at age 13, the two knew that their teen comedy would be different than those that came before it. In an interview with Newsday.com, Rogen said, "American Pie came out after we started writing Superbad. And we thought, 'Oh nuts, they made the same movie.' But while that movie's great, and there are a lot of very funny parts, it really does not fully capture our experience, especially the way characters talk to each other."
Boy, did they nail it. With Jonah Hill playing Seth and Michael Cera playing the awkwardly funny Evan, every small quirk of the individual characters shows believable high-school interaction.
Playing his usual awkward self, Cera gives a believably classic performance when thrown into a terribly uncomfortable situation with hidden crush/superfreak Martha MacIssac. On the other hand, Jonah Hill's persona and knack for saying whatever he pleases complements Cera perfectly.
The gist of the movie follows the trendy all-in-one-day storyline, but has enough funny circumstances and extremely familiar situations for entertainment throughout. The real deal breaker though comes in the form of Fogell, better known as McLovin, the 25-year-old Hawaiian organ donor (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). His baby-face makes it especially hard not to laugh when he spits out rap catchphrases, and almost single-handedly steals the show.
Following on the one-day theme, the characters find themselves in a flurry of possibilities when Seth's comical demeanor lands him and Evan an invite to Jules' party, played by Emma Stone. From there the chronicled adventures of Seth, Evan, and McLovin intertwine into a crazy mess of trying to find alcohol for the party with Foggel's fake ID and trying to actually making it to the party alive, that will have you asking, "Did they really just say/do what I thought they did?" With cameo performances from Rogen and fellow actor Bill Hader (as Officer Slater), the cast throughout the movie is loaded with talent.
Already working off the success of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Rogen is slowly showing that he is building a comical empire full of comedians not hindered by political correctness, and writers who are highly capable storytellers. With a cast that fits as well as this one does, Rogen really got it this time. If Knocked Up and Superbad aren't clear examples of what the comedy world is in for, then I don't know what is. Rogen is taking the nation by storm.