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Forgetting Sarah Marshall

A romantic comedy both men and women can fall in love with

By Matt Pais

Metromix
April 18, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Distraught over his breakup with TV actress Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), composer Peter (Jason Segel, who wrote the script) escapes to Hawaii to clear his head. There, he meets a cute hotel employee (Mila Kunis) but also runs into Sarah and her new guy (Russell Brand), a friendly and dimwitted rock star.

Big question: Can this comedy, produced by Judd Apatow ("Superbad") and featuring Apatow regulars like Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader, re-establish Apatow's power after the lame "Drillbit Taylor" and box office flop "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"?

Catch it: "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is the kind of movie you could watch all day because, like a new flame, you can't get enough of its company and are just glad to see where it takes you. Much of that is because the spot-on leads—largely TV vets finally given a chance at big-screen stardom—dare to tread outside the lines of typical rom-com characters, making everyone flawed and goofy and vulnerable and, consequently, legitimately interesting.

Skip it: If you loved "One Missed Call," you won't like hearing Aldous (Brand) mock Sarah for starring in a similarly ridiculous film about a killer cell phone. Isn't the bill usually deadlier than the phone itself?

Bottom line: Take out Hill's irritating hotel worker and tweak the abrupt ending and you've got an airtight comedy about people with problems, not forced problems created simply for the sake of comedy. The film's also hysterically funny, finding the humor in everything from awkward one night stands to overly serious TV crime dramas.

Bonus: Segel's got the guts to write not just nude scenes for himself but musical performances too, as Peter delivers an unforgettable rendition of a song from his rock opera. We won't spoil the tune, but suffice to say your teeth will get plenty of air during "Sarah" while you struggle to wipe the giddy grin from your face.

Video: Watch the review of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'

What do you think of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'? Email me: mpais@tribune.com