Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Surprisingly, this Kevin Smith movie is entertaining, charming, and nasty at the same time. The movie is a strong R-rated movie with bodily fluids and dirty jokes, but it is also a date movie and a nod to the porn industry.

As I watched this movie, I started to notice most of the actors were from the Judd Apatow camp with a few crossovers from Smith’s Jersey Universe. Plus, the movie does feel like an Apatow movie with a lot of reflective Kevin Smith dialogue thrown in.

One character, Gerry Bednob, is playing nearly the same character he played in 40-Year Old Virgin. I’m sure put this character in the movie as a tip to the hat to 40-Year Old Virgin. I guess the other guy from 40-Year (Shelley Malil) couldn’t make it into the movie because he attempted to kill his girlfriend.

Somehow, Smith strikes the right balance with nudity, cussing, and romance that he couldn’t handle in Chasing Amy.

You see on the surface the movie is about two people (losers) that are down on their luck and need to make rent. They come up with a plan of making a Porn movie to help pay the rent. Hilarity and missteps happen along the way. In the end, people do get f’ed. (On camera) Yet, there is a weird love story deep within the lube and fart jokes (and bubbles). What happens when two friends start to see each other as more than friends? This movie tries to show that.

Like I stated earlier, this is Smith doing a better job handling romance than in Chasing Amy. Chasing Amy wasn’t fun or entertaining, but a more skillful and older Smith has fun with Zack and Miri while still carrying love story to its predictable conclusion. And, I don’t mind predictable ending to love stories.

Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen have great chemistry together. I can really believe these two live-in friends are very close, but don’t have a sexual relationship. Rogen plays a loveable loser that works a coffee shop, while Banks is simply charming in every scene she’s in. Her character loves the one-night stands, but she makes the character someone you’d like to date.

While I really enjoyed the movie there are a few problems that seem to crop up from time to time.

- Jason Mewes: I liked him in all the movies before this one, but all he plays in this movie is another version of Jay from the Clerks movies. There are some funny moments with him, but still…

-The last 20 minutes are rushed and seem off-putting. At a certain point a character runs away and the movie jumps ahead a period of time.

- Craig Robinson needed more screen time.

-More Pornstars would have been nice: Uh, what about a cameo by Ron Jeremy or Teagan. How about Aurora Snow?

If you don’t like people talking about gay porn, Katie Morgan naked, or seeing Seth Rogen’s bare ass, then this movie isn’t for you. However, if you liked the Judd Apatow or Kevin Smith movies before this one, I think you’ll enjoy this little raunchy love story also.

Grade: B

Lights, Camera, Boner.

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Dr. Manhattan showed up to the casting call and showed his blue glowing 'Hang Low'.

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Ah, Traci Lords the woman that almost brought down the entire Porn Industry all by herself. I still remember her small role in Blade. She's one of the few ex-pornstars that has made the transition to legit acting, sort of...

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Katie Morgan , I loved your work in Desperate Housewhores: Butt Hole in One and Fleshdance. That was some brilliant work.

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Seth: "Okay, you want me to put the milk crate where?"