SXSW Movie Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on March 15, 2008

The Apatow clan is back again, but with a different spin. I love the fact that Apatow is allowing each of the talented actors from his original projects to come back, and take a crack at the big screen one at a time. In the same vein of The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad…Forgetting Sarah Marshall pretends to be an outrageous comedy, but still ends up finding a way to relate to everyone on a much more emotional level.

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) has alot going for him. He is a composer for a hit television show, that also stars his famous and really hot girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). When Sarah Marshall dumps him for an English rock star (Russell Brand), his whole life seems to be falling apart. Peter flees to Hawaii to get away, but instead finds himself checking into the same hotel as Sarah and her new flame. Luckily, Peter meets Racheal and finds a reason to move on.

When I first saw the trailer for this film, I didn’t expect much. I thought that there was no way that these Apatow vehicles could keep their momentum. I was also skeptical of the new front man, Jason Segel. I loved Segel in “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared”, so I am fully confident in his abilities, just not as a leading man in a big budget comedy. I was wrong. He was fantastic, and will now be afforded the opportunity to star again and again. His performance was dead on with what you’d want out of an Apatow comedy, and there are definitely some outrageous moments. He did very well opposite the two beautiful women that were also in this film.

Kristen Bell turns in the first good performance of her career, with this film. I have never been a fan of any of her work, and always saw her as just a pretty face. Well not only was she a pretty face in this one, she also played a great obstacle for Segel. Another pretty face in this one, was Mila Kunis. She was much sexier than I had ever expected, and played a great role. Usually “the new girl” is hokey, but Kunis is actually very fun to watch.

I really loved this one, it was one of my favorites of the festival and I can’t wait until all of you can see it.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the directorial debut of Nicholas Stoller, writer of Fun with Dick and Jane. It stars Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader and Jonah Hill. It is rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nudity (penis). It is being distributed by Universal Pictures and will hit theaters nationwide on April 18th. It premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on March 10th.

Read more articles by Brian C. Gibson