Forgetting Sarah Marshall

It’s a familiar story: someone spurned by their ex-lover goes abroad to escape, only to find their ex everywhere they go. Yet in FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, actor/writer Jason Segel uses the type of R-rated humor that made producer Judd Apatow’s films so popular to amusing effect, even if the film struggles to reach the genuine emotion that made the producer’s works so critically acclaimed.

Composer Peter Bretter (Segel) was just dumped by his longtime girlfriend, television star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). Unable to forget his past girlfriend and unable to attempt a physical relationship without bursting into tears, Bretter goes to a luxury hotel in Hawaii, a place he remembered Sarah talking about. Sure enough, the first people he runs into are his ex-girlfriend and her new beau, British rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). He tries to avoid them, but finds himself near them all the time. The only way he manages to escape from them is to turn to his burgeoning relationship with hotel employee Rachel (Mila Kunis). As he spends more time in the hotel, he begins to know more about himself and about the value of living.

As has been common with recent comedies, Segel and director Nicholas Stoller strive to create a film that’s not just about the laughs. And although it does contain a level of sweetness and sincerity that is still surprising in such a raunchy comedy, it is no more genuine or sweet than an average romantic comedy. Peter is a flawed character, but the negative effect his behavior has on people is touched on all too briefly. And aside from the always affirming “stop worrying and just live life” sentiment, the film is primarily successful in making jokes.

And the film is funny. Very funny. Segel already has gotten notices for his daring full-frontal nudity (which begins mere minutes into the film), but as a leading man he’s a bit on the bland side. He handles the jokes extremely well, but is nothing more than serviceable when trying to be dramatic. He is lucky that the amount of real drama required is rather small, and clearly knows where he excels. Bell and Kunis are pleasant as the women in Peter’s life; they inject their characters with mounds of personality but obviously got the short end of the stick when it comes to the jokes. Cameos from Apatow regulars give the film some of its lightest moments. However, the film truly belongs to Russell Brand. As the philandering and ridiculously spiritual rock star, every line he speaks packs a punch. He steps just across the line of being over-the-top, but does it with enough confidence to keep attention on him at all times.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL will never be the juggernaut that films like KNOCKED UP and SUPERBAD turned into, but that shouldn’t speak for its quality. It is still a tremendously enjoyable film that keeps you laughing throughout. It moves past the shock laughs of the frank nudity and sex jokes typical in a film like this to demonstrate a great deal of thought and wit. Slim but fast-paced, the film is a perfect exercise into escapism.

***/****