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Superbad

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Superbad
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGreg Mottola
Written byEvan Goldberg
Seth Rogen
Produced byJudd Apatow
Evan Goldberg (executive)
Shauna Robertson
Seth Rogen (executive)
Apatow Productions
StarringJonah Hill
Michael Cera
Chris Mintz-Plasse
Bill Hader
Seth Rogen
Music byLyle Workman
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release dates
August 17, 2007
Running time
Theatrical cut
113 min.
Unrated cut
118 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[1]
Box officeDomestic
$121,463,226
Foreign
$48,397,429
Worldwide
$169,860,655

Superbad is a 2007 comedy film written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who began writing the script when they were both 13 years old. They completed a draft by age 15.[2] The film's main characters have the same given names as Rogen and Goldberg. The film is directed by former television director Greg Mottola and is produced by Judd Apatow, known for previously writing and directing The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.

The film was a critical and commercial success, inspiring comparisons to Apatow's previous film, Knocked Up, which was released earlier in the summer.

Plot

Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) are friends in their final year of school about to leave for college. Seth's crush, Jules (Emma Stone), asks Seth to bring alcohol to a party she is hosting and he agrees, as their mutual friend, Fogell, (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) has recently acquired a fake ID and Evan invites his long time crush Becca (Martha MacIsaac) to the party.

While purchasing the alcohol, Fogell is assaulted by a hooded robber and the police are called. The two officers, Michaels (Seth Rogen) and Slater (Bill Hader), who appear to be fooled by the fake ID, offer Fogell a lift to the party, but make numerous stops first. The officers display many instances of incompetence, including drinking on the job, unnecessary use of police lights, and improper use of a firearm. They quickly become friends, referring to Fogell by the one-word name on his fake I.D., McLovin.

While the police officers are talking to Fogell at the liquor store, Seth is hit by a car and as compensation, the driver (Joe Lo Truglio) agrees to take them to a party, where they reason they can steal the alcohol they need. However, the driver is not welcome at the party and Seth and Evan are forced to leave, but not before smuggling out laundry detergent containers that have been filled with beer. They get into an argument about their friendship when Fogell, Slater, and Michaels happen to hit Seth with their police cruiser. As officer Slater prepares to bust the teens to cover up his own blunder, the boys flee into the night. The three finally arrive at Jules's party with the alcohol, still upset from their fight.

At the party, a drunken Becca attempts to have sex with Evan in a secluded upstairs room, but Evan backs down, and a heavily intoxicated Becca ends up vomiting. A drunken Seth attempts to explain his feelings for Jules, but passes out from the drink and accidentally head-butts her, giving her a black eye. Fogell successfully seduces Nicola (Aviva Farber) and gets her into bed, only to have officers Slater and Michaels break up the party. Seth, realizing Evan is passed out on a couch, carries his friend away and back to Evan’s house. They reconcile, thinking about everything they've been through as they've grown up. Officers Slater and Michaels reveal to Fogell that they were aware of his forgery all along, but they wanted to show him they were normal guys too. They pretend to haul him off to jail in front of the entire party to boost his popularity. In return, Fogell signs an affidavit to a concocted story to explain the condition of the wrecked police car which they proceed to have fun destroying.

The following morning, Evan and Seth run into Becca and Jules at the mall. After an awkward conversation about the mistakes of the previous night, Seth takes Jules to get cover up for her eye, while Evan takes Becca off to look for a replacement comforter for Jules. The two guys take a long, private look at each other before they part ways with their new friends.

Cast

Reception

According to Box Office Mojo, the film opened at #1 at the U.S. box office, grossing $33,052,411 in its opening weekend in 2,948 theaters with an average of $11,212 per theater.[3] The film stayed at #1 the second week, grossing $18,044,369.[3] As of January 3, 2008, the film has grossed an estimated $121,463,226 domestically, and $48,327,429 overseas, for a total of $169,860,655 worldwide. Compared to the relatively small budget of $20 million, the film was a massive financial success. [1] The film is the highest domestic grossing high school comedy of all time.[4]

As of October 11, 2007, the film-critics aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes listed 87% positive reviews based on 174 reviews (151 "fresh", 23 "rotten") with the consensus that it was "an authentic take on the awkwardness of the high school experience." It also has an 86% Cream Of The Crop rating. [5] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 76% based on 36 reviews.[6].

Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle called it 2007's most successful comedy.[7] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 1/2 stars (out of 4) and said "The movie reminded me a little of National Lampoon's Animal House, except that it's more mature, as all movies are."[8] Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times said "Physically, Hill and Cera recall the classic comic duos -- Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Aykroyd and Belushi. But they are contemporary kids, sophisticated and sensitive to nuance"; she added, "I hope it's not damning the movie with the wrong kind of praise to say that for a film so deliriously smutty, Superbad is supercute".[9] Sean Burns of Philadelphia Weekly said "2007: the year Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen saved movie comedy", a reference to Knocked Up which was released in June.[10] Devin Gordon of Newsweek said "As a Revenge of the Nerds redux, Superbad isn't perfect. But it's super close."[11]

Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter, conversely, compared the film to the similar single-day structure of American Graffiti and Dazed and Confused, but that "it doesn't have the smarts or the depths of those ensemble comedies".[12] The Hollywood Reporter review was referenced in the film's DVD audio commentary, particularly the review's suggestion that the two main characters have a homoerotic experience similar to the film Y Tu Mama Tambien. [13] Adam Graham of The Detroit News said, "the cops belong in a bad Police Academy sequel, not this movie", and also that the film "falls short of teen-classic status."[14] Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel called the film "super-derivative", "super-raunchy", and "Freaks and Geeks: Uncensored". Moore went on to say the film shamelessly plagiarizes from movies such as Can't Hardly Wait and American Graffiti. He also said, "Like Knocked Up, this is a comedy they don't know how to end. The energy flags as it overstays its welcome."[15] Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe said the film "has a degree more sophistication than Revenge of the Nerds and American Pie, and less than the underrated House Party". Morris also said, "the few smart observations could have come from an episode of one of Apatow's TV shows" and "I wanted to find this as funny as audiences did".[16]

Books

Two tie-in books to the film were published by Newmarket Press:

Superbad: The Illustrated Moviebook was published on December 4, 2007 to coincide with the release of the film on DVD. This official companion book includes: an introduction by producer Judd Apatow; the complete script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg; commentaries by Apatow, Rogen & Goldberg, and journalists from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and New York; 56 film stills; “Mr. Vagtastic Guide to Buying Porn;” and 24 phallographic drawings by David Goldberg that fans will recognize from the movie’s end credits.

Superbad: The Drawings was published on February 14, 2008. This gift hardcover art book contains 82 phallographic drawings created by David Goldberg (Evan Goldberg’s brother) for the movie.

Awards

MTV Movie Awards 2008

  • Best Movie - Nominated
  • Breakthrough Performance - Michael Cera, Johan Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse - Nominated.
  • Best Comedic Performance - Jonah Hill - Nominated.

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2008

  • Best Comedy Movie - Nominated.
  • Best Young Actor - Michael Cera - Nominated.

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2007

  • Most Promising Performer - Michael Cera - Won.

Empire Awards, UK 2008

  • Best Comedy - Nominated.

Teen Choice Awards 2007

  • Choice Summer Movie - Comedy/Musical - Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b "Superbad (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
  2. ^ Dylan Callaghan (2007-08-17). "It's Funnier With People". Writer's Guild of America. Retrieved 2007-11-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b "Superbad (2007) - Weekend Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
  4. ^ Box Office Mojo: Charts - High School Comedy
  5. ^ Rotten Tomatoes: Superbad Retrieved 2007-09-03
  6. ^ Metacritic: Superbad Retrieved 2007-09-03
  7. ^ Mick LaSalle (2007-08-17). "Review: Teens on a mission to buy booze in 'Superbad'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-08-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ Roger Ebert (2007-08-16). ":: rogerebert.com :: Reviews :: Superbad". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2007-08-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Carina Chocano (2007-08-17). "'Superbad's' teen raunch isn't what's shocking; it's the love story". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-08-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Sean Burns. "Geek Outlook". Philadelphia Weekly. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  11. ^ Devin Gordon (August 20-27, 2007 issue). "Revenge of the Nerds". Newsweek. Retrieved 2007-08-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Stephen Farber (2007-08-07). "Superbad". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-08-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ The DVD audio commentary on the Superbad: Unrated Extended Edition DVD.
  14. ^ Adam Graham (2007-08-16). "Laughable roles". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  15. ^ Roger Moore (2007-08-17). "'Superbad' is super-derivative". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-08-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Wesley Morris (2007-08-17). ""It's a nerd, he's in pain -- it's Superbad"". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-08-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
Wikiquote has quotations related to Superbad.

Template:Box Office Leaders USA


Seth Rogen
Television: Freaks and Geeks Template:·wrap Undeclared
Starring Movie Roles: Knocked Up Template:·wrap Pineapple Express Template:·wrap Zack and Miri Make a Porno Template:·wrap Observe and Report Template:·wrap Untitled Judd Apatow Comedy
Supporting/Minor Movie Roles: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Template:·wrap The 40-Year-Old Virgin Template:·wrap You, Me and Dupree Template:·wrap Superbad Template:·wrap Monsters vs. Aliens
Writing: Undeclared Template:·wrap Da Ali G Show Template:·wrap Superbad Template:·wrap Drillbit Taylor Template:·wrap Pineapple Express
Other: Ken MillerTemplate:·wrapFrat PackTemplate:·wrapEvan Goldberg
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