Laugh out loud funny, hilariously written and well acted are just some of the ways to describe the newest comedy from writer/director Judd Apatow. "Knocked Up" will have you wondering why there are so many remakes and sequels drowning the box office when funny and original movies are more than worth a viewer's time and money.
Apatow's "Knocked Up" has some semblance of his past creations, showcasing the same crassness of "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and the humor of the short-lived television show "Freaks and Geeks," but "Knocked Up" also has heart.
Unexpectedly, Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) moves up in the entertainment world as she is promoted to an on-camera position on E! entertainment television. She and her sister, Debbie (Leslie Mann), take to the town. At a club, Alison meets loveable slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogan). He's someone that most people wouldn't think Alison would give a second of her time to, but that night the drinks were flowing and Alison gets knocked up.
Ben definitely isn't a catch; he can barely afford the spaghetti that is his dietary staple. He and his friends are hatching a Web site that catalogues nudity in films they watch, but it's still months from launching. At the moment, he's more concerned with ingenious ways of getting high (a fishbowl and pot, for example) and getting laid.
The second time Alison contacts Ben, which he assumes is for a second date after the amazing night they had before, she calls to let him know that she's preggers. Now they have to see where they are going from there since Alison is adamant about keeping the baby.
Through seeking out the perfect OBGYN, crazy family problems and just the process of getting to know one another, Alison and Ben have to learn how to be compatible even though they are from different ends of the spectrum. It's a trying, yet hilarious situation.
While getting Steve Carell laid in "Virgin" was key, for "Knocked Up," interpersonal relations are central to the plot. Even though they are obviously not right for one another right off the bat, Alison and Ben are willing to put in the effort to make their relationship work. To show a different side of relationships, Debbie and Pete (Paul Rudd) are shown as a married couple who are drifting further apart.
"Knocked Up" takes on the unfunny parts of life, while still being funny. As Pete says in one scene, "Marriage is like an unfunny version of 'Everybody Love Raymond,' except it doesn't last 22 minutes, it lasts forever."
Though Rudd is only in a supporting role, he steals every single scene he's in. From witty comments like his musings on marriage to a scene involving 'shrooms, Vegas and tons of chairs, Rudd has come a long way from the nerdy stepbrother in "Clueless."
"Knocked Up" is packed with cameos from Steve Carrell to Ryan Seacreat, who throws one amazingly funny hissy fit. It'll be hard to look at him the same way ever again, but one can only hope that his rant has happened in real life.
Although "Knocked Up" isn't entirely plausible, it's close enough to the truth that it's relatable. This is the movie that can be seen repeatedly, the jokes are still funny and the story still touching and interesting. "Knocked Up" should be on everyone's favorite movie comedy lists, it's that good.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
