Knocked Up [Blu-ray]

Bringing out the ugly! What really makes this film great and uncomfortable and funny is how it lets us see ourselves. In only a few moments Ben Stone is transformed from sweetly funny stoner into a shouting, mean-spirited, insensitive child. Pete retreats selfishly from a wife, Debbie who suffocates him with insane, but strangely familiar, expectations. All the players at some point become irrational, and this is where Alison (Hiegl's character) escapes criticism. Because she is pregnant, any outburst, any unmotivated action is easily excused, and ironically, she may have the fewest anyway. She's still Izzy from Grey's Anatomy - The Complete First Season, but without the self-righteousness. She's the superlative and a little hard to identify with, but in a good way.

Despite Rogen's and Hiegl's competence, it's the little characters that really make this film shine. Leslie Mann, Alison's older sister, somehow seems like both a potentially wonderful mother and potential basket case. She teeters on greatness and disaster and I love and identify with her for it. Jason Segel, whose turn on CBS's How I Met Your Mother is nothing short of phenomenal, shines here as a slacker friend, unfoundedly cocky, and somehow endearing. He effortlessly controls the screen. Most wonderful, though, is Paul Rudd's Pete. I've never seen a character like him animated on the screen. After attempting just now several times, it's impossible to describe what's with this character. I guess there's a kind of absent, off-hand responsibility to him that just makes for compelling screen time. An Oscar worthy performance that, sadly, will never manifest in a nomination because of the kind of movie this is.

The film is undeniably funny on all levels. There are jokes ranging from the sophisticated pokes at pop culture, to the almost mandatory fart joke. I will say, that even the fart\poop references manage to be original and hilarious. Is the humor crude? Yes, and somehow not quite inappropriate either. We're eavesdropping on funny people with their most intimate friends. Thank you Mr. Apataw for letting us listen in!

Much like Judd Apatow's preceding film 'The 40 Year Old Virgin', this
takes a silly high concept Hollywood idea (slacker slob impregnates
upper class hottie, in spite of all odds they have the baby and fall in
love), injects it with sharp humor, highbrow and low, pathos, good
acting, and even some real insight into people and relationships.

Seth Rogan is terrific, but so is Catherine Heigel, Paul Rudd, and
everyone in the supporting roles.

Not a huge visual upgrade between the Blu-ray and the regular
DVD, so if cost is a factor...

This is a precious addition to my DVD Comedy collection. Katherine Heigl is a GREAT SPORT in allowing herself to become part of Seth Rogen's World - I mean, you hardly find someone as intensely HOT as Heigl agreeing to (of course artificial) shots of her as-yet-unborn baby crowning and descending into a world of pot and live-for-the-moment that epitomises Ben's (Seth Rogen's) world. Before that chance encounter in a night-club, hers was as pristine a world as it could ever be, but after a few drinks too many and the famous words, "Do it already!", things never were the same again.

The movie is so funny because of Rogen's genius improvisational skill and how well that played off of Heigl's almost innocent character. The interplay is so unbelievably funny that I've wondered if in the script, against Ben Stone's name, there are the words, "Let Seth Rogen do and say whatever he wants - it'll be funnier than anything we can write anyway."

Here is what has me thoroughly confused, however - the search for someone to play Ben Stone that appears in the Special Features section of the DVD. I kept going, "What?!" "Is this for real?!"

First, I have never seen, in similar sections of other DVDs, i.e., casting and screen tests and so forth, the actual individuals who auditioned and didn't get the part (except where, for example, it's already made the news like, say, "Gary Oldman turned down an offer to play X in Y movie, and the part went to Tim Roth").

Second, not only were the names of the Ben Stone "hopefuls" mentioned, but there were EXTENSIVE shots of them in scenes with Katherine Heigl, showing where the process broke down and led to endless bleeping out of cussing, and smashing of props, and accusations of "stifling my creativity", and so on!!

I mean, guys like Michael Cera and Justin Long were having it out with Director Judd Apatow, which was, to say the least, bizarre. There were also some ridiculous choices for Ben Stone, like Gerry Bednob and others, which started me thinking that all of these "contenders" for the character of Ben Stone, and the accompanying audition footage, and negative comments by other cast members, had to be an ENORMOUSLY ELABORATE April Fool's Day joke on the viewers by Judd Apatow.

I dunno - it was all surreal. Actual audition footage of those who did not make it, with so many manifestations of acrimony would typically be edited out and not find its way into the DVD, but there it is.

For shock value, both behind the scenes AND in the movie, you can't miss with this DVD. But ultimately it's all about laughs, and when you include Seth Rogen's unique and unforgettable laughter, you will not be disappointed in this picture.