07/26/10 - Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008, 118 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800039/

I'd checked out Forgetting Sarah Marshall back in 2008 and in 2009 so I've already rated it at 8/10 but this was a rewatch with my roommate. Let's see if this third viewing allows the film to stand up at this high score.

The film follows Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) as he goes to Hawaii to get over his ex-girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). Unfortunately for him, Sarah ends up going there with her new boyfriend Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). However, hotel receptionist Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis) and Peter form a friendship which leads to some awkward run-ins with Sarah. Other prominent people in this movie are: Brian Bretter (Bill Hader), Peter's stepbrother; Liz Bretter (Liz Cackowski), Brian's wife; Darald and Wyoma (Jack McBrayer and Maria Thayer), a recently married couple on their honeymoon at the same hotel; and smaller roles to Matthew the Waiter (Jonah Hill) and Chuck (Paul Rudd) the surfing instructor.

The thing that sets Forgetting Sarah Marshall apart in terms of recent comedies for me is Jason Segel. Not surprisingly I also love How I Met Your Mother and I Love You, Man which also star him. I never feel that he is acting in these movies but instead just being a really great and lovable "every guy." He says natural things but with the absolute perfect inflection in his voice to make even the common come across as hilarious. He's the highlight for this film and the reason I love it so much. As an aside, Segel's acting far exceeds that put out by the titular Sarah Marshall. It's not that Kristen Bell is terrible, it's just that she's just the weakest link of the main four characters, but this really just boils down to nitpicking.

Besides Segel's Peter though, the whole cast is great because everyone is such a unique and memorable character. Secondary people like Matthew the Waiter or Chuck are hilarious when they're on screen with the scene where Peter learns to surf from Chuck being my favorite in the entire movie. But more importantly, to me these characters are ones that will stand the test of time. Like in Superbad, everyone remembers McLovin and the same I think will be true of characters like Peter and Aldous Snow from this movie (somewhat seen in Aldous Snow getting a full movie in Get Him to the Greek). Basically, each character is given just enough of a quirky personality that they all just mesh up really well with the "every man" that is the lead. It all just works.

To be quite honest, though, I don't feel like much actually happens in this film (something I also felt happened in I Love You, Man) but I never feel bored when I watch it. Each scene is cool for a certain reason - either it's really funny all around or it has one stellar line or it's just quality acting or something else. That's why I maintain that no comedy that has come out since (that I've seen) has topped it.

Overall, I gave this film an 8/10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is great but it's not 9/10 amazing. I know I heaped a ton of praise on it in these comments but I can't say I can give it the same score that I gave Forrest Gump or Rear Window earlier this same month (same day for Rear Window). But I can put it up there with Jaws and Memento.