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This Porno is Surprisingly Sweet
Date of Review: Jul 2, 2009
The Bottom Line: A very funny romantic comedy that was sweeter than I thought it would be, but more formulaic than I'd like, and too crude in spots.
I didn't plan to watch this movie. I've enjoyed Kevin Smith flicks in the past, but mostly his older movies. Chasing Amy, Clerks, and Mallrats were fantastic, in my opinion, but some of his more recent movies have been too formulaic and seem to have lost that independent streak.
I'm not a prude, in fact the one and only time my husband and I watched a real porno, it was actually my idea. Still, I'm not a big fan of sexual comedies. Usually there are scenes that just go too far for me that I don't think are funny. Sometimes the impact of these scenes is enough that I wish I hadn't watched the movie at all. So, maybe I am a bit of a prude.
In any case, I didn't want to watch this movie, but my husband really did, and he wanted my company. So I decided to sit through it with him.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zack(Seth Rogen) and Miri(Elizabeth Banks) are best friends. They live together and are pretty intimate, but they don't - and never have - had sex with each other.They're both what some people might call losers. They have crappy jobs, they're broke, and they don't have much other than each other. When they get so behind on their bills that their utilities get shut off, Zack decides it's time to do something drastic to make money. He decides they should make a porno to solve their financial woes. Miri is reluctant, but eventually gets on board.
What's to Like?
The entire cast of this movie turned in good performances, I thought. Seth Rogen in particular surprised me. His character Zack was a really decent, sympathetic guy, which seems like a bit of a stretch for Rogen. The rest of the cast is pretty good too, including Kevin Smith's regulars Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson. Folks who watch real porn may be amused - or pleased - to see lots of Traci Lords and Katie Morgan in this film.
All the actors seemed to have good chemistry together, which helped make what could have been just another sleazy sex comedy a real feel-good movie. There are really no bad guys in this movie. It's just about a group of friends who decide to make some money and have a great, funny, adventurous time doing it. I was surprised by how sweet this movie was really. Not just the eventual romance between Zack and Miri, but the friendship and support all the characters showed for each other.
Of course, the number one reason to watch any Kevin Smith movie - at least for me - is the humor. Comedies are not my favorite movies to watch in general, because the humor in them tends to feel all the same after awhile. Kevin Smith obviously has his own unique style of humor, and there is plenty of it in this movie. There were a lot of real laugh out loud moments (if you watch this on DVD, be sure to watch the extras for more laughs).
What I Didn't Like?
There were a couple of scenes that were just flat disgusting to me. There are some places I just don't want to go, and this movie went to those places more than once. The places you don't want to go might be different than mine, but I'm willing to bet that most open-minded and relaxed people will still find something in this movie that makes them want to gag. Even if you think you're totally cool with just about anything, it might just go one step too far for you. If not, I'm totally impressed by you!
The thing that really disappointed me about this movie is that with the romance between Zack and Miri, Smith resorted to the typical romantic comedy formula, and it totally wasn't necessary. He had a great opportunity with this unique couple to not go there, to not use that tired formula we've seen over and over again. I thought Zack and Miri were really special and had a great chemistry together. Kevin Smith really didn't do them justice.
Recommended for Who?
Well, I wouldn't watch this movie in certain company, and obviously certain stick-in-the-mud types definitely should steer clear. But, if you're not bothered by a lot of nudity and cussing, and if you're not too much of a prude, and if you like Kevin Smith's style of humor, you'll probably find a lot to enjoy in this movie.
Final Thoughts
In the end I was glad my husband talked me into this. There were a lot of moments where I was laughing out loud, and plenty of heartwarming ones too. I was disappointed by the formulaic way the romance was handled, and a few scenes went one or two steps too far for me. In the end, the movie was just unique and feel-good enough that I was happy to have seen it.
