Movie Review: ‘Knocked Up’
OK, this was a good movie. I found I laughed more after the movie, than I did during the show. Ben, the guy, is a shiftless guy sharing a house with 4 other adult-juveniles, working on an intended web site (FleshOfTheStars.com), which is shown to be under construction in the movie. As does the actual web site. The contact-us page is different, though.
The evening Ben meets Allyson, at a bar, he shows ingenuity (overcoming an over-worked bartender’s delay) and an instant adoration for this lovely lady that actually noticed and talked to him. Ending up in bed together is a dream come true for Ben, and an almost-never-happens continuation of the celebration of the evening for Allyson. Which overcomes my first reluctance about the film, how do you recognize character and integrity in a potential partner, when under the influence and don’t have time to get to know a partner before going skin-to-skin? There is still an awful lot of ‘lucked out’ for the couple in this case, but we easily see Ben is respectful, that Allyson for all her looks is also respectful.
Ben resists growing up. He is grateful for any time spent with Allyson, panicked over the pregnancy, and bewildered by her search for ‘the’ gynecologist that will make her birth experience ’special’. Allyson’s sister is precious. She shows us a paranoid housewife in the lap of luxury, disdainful of what appears to be a doting husband. And the sister leads Allyson to share a doubt of all men.
The delivery room gets quite vivid. The jokes here are new and old. The OBGYN can’t make it, the stand-in (one of the earlier doctors that they rejected) is surly. Until Ben and the Doc have a bonding (stomach gurgling) moment in the hall.
Harold Ramis is wonderful as Ben’s father. Over a diner table Ramis claims everything will work out. Later Ben phones him and calls him a liar, Dad responds, ‘Ben, I have been divorced three times, why would you listen to a word I said about relationships?!’
The story takes place in California. The rowdy housemates share an interest in nudie movies. When a big earthquake shakes the house one night, several of the housemates have a lady friend naked on the sidewalk (camera shows breasts only). A police car rolls by as Ben smashes the bong he saved, a voice says loudly ‘California!’.
Not much for fun, quite funny. And the moral and hope is there. Moral — safe sex is safer, there is hope that two people can come to make a hopeful life together. And also that gorgeous, e! network on camera personality Allyson isn’t necessarily marrying ‘beneath’ herself with unemployed, juvenile-minded Ben. We all have to grow into the best that we can be.
I enjoyed this movie.