Judd Apatow’s latest production is a true phallic comedy, almost a canon and a return to the roots of satire. Like any play by Aristophanes, it has more “peppers” than a sex shop. Sperm toxicity pushes underage friends to the forbidden doors of the liquor store and beyond, into a night full of dangerous adventures and drinking. Moreover, in addition to the general idea of “the adventures of an itchy member,” “Superbad” also has a full-fledged lyrical digression dedicated specifically to phalluses…
Three 17-year-old guys are eagerly awaiting the last year of their school lives. Ahead lies college and girls who know nothing about the reputation of the friends – nerds, geeks, and virgins. Evan, a romantic and vibrant guy, constantly talks about respecting women and carries a tube of spermicidal lubricant with him – just in case. The bespectacled Fogell takes a decisive step into adulthood and buys a fake driver’s license in the name of a 25-year-old Hawaiian organ donor, McLovin. Seth, the fattest, shaggiest, bow-legged, pragmatic, and horny one, who seems to be not entirely a virgin (“started early, like Orson Welles”), is building step-by-step plans to seduce someone. The chance presents itself in home economics class – Seth’s partner in making apple pie (get the hint?) is throwing a party. They need booze. Who will save the woman?
Judd Apatow’s latest production (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005), “Knocked Up” (2006), “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” (2006)) is a true phallic comedy, almost a canon and a return to the roots of satire. Like any play by Aristophanes, it has more “peppers” than a sex shop. Sperm toxicity pushes underage friends to the forbidden doors of the liquor store and beyond, into a night full of dangerous adventures and drinking. Moreover, in addition to the general idea of “the adventures of an itchy member,” “Superbad” (2007) also has a full-fledged lyrical digression dedicated specifically to phalluses (details omitted).
A Conceptual Comedy for Connoisseurs
In addition, from the very beginning, the film brazenly claims to be a conceptual film for connoisseurs, haphazardly but humorously reporting on the level of erudition of the creators. Before the credits, the old, circa 1980, logo of Columbia Pictures is flashed with Technicolor rays for some reason. During the credits and beyond, a completely Tarantino-esque funk plays (Rick James, “The Four Tops”). The dialogues are rich in weighty aphorisms: “A gun is like a second dick. Only you can kill with this dick.” In the supporting roles of corrupt cops, people from “Knocked Up” appear – the recognizable Bill Hader in intellectual glasses and the unrecognizable Seth Rogen in Belarusian mustache brackets.
The Heart of the Film
All these pleasant little things are good and, in general, don’t let you straighten up for a second. But the greatness of the film is that it truly loves and respects its characters. Under the giggles and ha-has, between falls and vomit, the eternal tragedy of tender age is formulated here with rare clarity and honesty. Too drunk to fuck, too young to die, as Evan, Seth, and Fogell themselves would say if they listened to rock and roll instead of Rick James.