Film: Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Studio: UniversalProducer: Judd Apatow
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Principal actors: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, and Bill Hader
Release date: April 18^th 2008
Film length: 112 min
Rating: R

3 Stars 

Reviewed by Isabel Lau (Vancouver Correspondent- Canada)

After having my I.D checked to watch this movie I was expecting the film to be replete with trashy female nudity and coarse language that is usually commonplace with today's quirky adult romantic comedies. However, I was fairly surprised and amused within the first ten minutes to see that this coarse nudity did not consist of any surgically enhanced female body parts except a photograph of a topless Mila Kunis later on (although the surgical aspect may be debatable). Instead, the film showcased a slovenly Peter Bretter (played by writer Jason Segel) in his complete and unabashed birthday suit. And when I say complete, I mean completely from the back, front, side and upside down. Nothing of this awkward and funny scene is left to the imagination, although some may wish it had been, as Peter is dumped by his beautiful actress/ girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell).  

Peter attempts to get over Sarah through a series of unsuccessful and hilarious one-night stands with odd and random women, one of whom cannot stop saying "hi" in the process of intercourse unless she is gagged. Finally taking the advice of his best friend Brian (Bill Hader) whom he converses with for the rest of the film via ichat on his MacBook (can we say product placement?), Peter decides to take a vacation to Hawaii to attempt to get away from it all. Of course, he is acutely and perhaps strategically aware that Sarah has often mentioned Hawaii as one of her favorite places to vacation. Upon checking in with the gorgeous sun-kissed front desk clerk of the Turtle Bay Hotel, Rachel Jansen (played by Mila Kunis), Peter immediately spots, yes you guessed it, Sarah and her new rock star beau from the UK, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand).

Rachel rescues Peter from the uncomfortable introduction and conversation that ensues by offering him the best suite in the hotel. Inevitably however, Peter bumps into Aldous and Rachel almost everywhere he goes and his angst is further compounded into love-torn howls that are reported to Rachel by neighboring guests. He experiences a few odd encounters with some of the other men at the resort, which include a waiter played by Jonah Hill and a surf instructor played by Paul Rudd. I had anticipated these moments to be extremely funny since Hill has proven his comedic talent in Superbad and Rudd in 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked-Up, however they proved to be somewhat flat and overpowered by Aldous Snow's eccentric, sexually charged and uproarious character.  

Rachel feels for Peter and accepts his invitations to hang out. She becomes enticed by his idiosyncratic ways and encourages him to produce his unborn Dracula puppet musical. Peter in turn is also captivated by her carefree islander ways and soon the flashbacks of his perfect ex- girlfriend are pitted against his new and exciting experiences with Rachel so that Sarah's callousness and vanity become apparent to him. Kristen Bell does a surprisingly good job at playing this sexy heartless character, which I had assumed would be difficult arising from her previous sweet and innocent role as Veronica Mars. She had some women (including me) slightly choked up during a scene where she explains the unreciprocated and unnoticed efforts made by many females in a relationship. This scene however, was one of very few memorably moving slices of acting in the movie.

Nonetheless, throughout his emotionally disastrous experience, Peter's anguish never seems way over the top. Segel genuinely transmits a pitiful broken heart to the viewer with his sorrowful eyes, drunken ballads, and bitter gazes at Sarah whenever she is featured on TV playing the lead actress on a show that parodies CSI. The imaginative puppet finale a-la-Jim Henson and the introduction to Russell Brand's English comedic talent were indeed the highlight of the movie and left me appreciative of Apatow's often crude but creative vision. This film certainly had a little bit more of a mature take on relationships compared to his previous ones but was still not as choke-on-your-popcorn funny as Knocked-up, Drillbit Taylor, Superbad or the 40 Year Old Virgin. Those who have enjoyed these films will also appreciate Forgetting Sarah Marshall but must be weary of giving into the complete exclamatory hype that surrounds it.