IMDb user comments for
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

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147 comments in total

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142 out of 191 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprise Solid Comedy, 19 March 2008

Author: unscripted1 from Chicago, IL

I often go see advance screenings in my area, especially now that I must officially be on "the list" as I am constantly finding tickets in my work inbox. This was the second Apatow production I've seen in advance and just like "Superbad", this did not disappoint. At the same time, while many of the cast members may be recognizable, there seems to be something different about this installment than I've seen in the likes of "40 Year Old Virgin", "Superbad", or "Knocked Up".

For starters, there was a definite presence of the "TV actors on the big screen" theme here, but I am pleased to report that Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis take to movies like naturals. Like many Apatow productions, Segel penned the script and takes over as lead Peter Bretter, proving yet again that with this crew the writer is best suited for the leading role. Segel delivers a character we all know too well from our own personal experiences and never breaks role from the shocking beginning to appropriate ending. I even give Segel extra credit for not completely victimizing his character and pointing out apparent flaws on both ends of the ending relationship.

Kristen Bell plays Sarah Marshall, the iconic ex of the film, but her role sits on the back burner along with the truly hilarious Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) to make way for a leading role in Mila Kunis. From the beginning it is clear that her not-too-smart and shallow role of "That 70s Show" didn't follow her to "Forgetting"'s script. Kunis plays Racheal, a hospitality girl for the hotel that "Forgetting" takes place, and subsequently deals with Peter as he tries to get over Sarah Marshall. Her character is intelligent, charismatic, and appreciative of the good in people, a strong juxtaposition to the seemingly selfish starlet Sarah Marshall. Kunis owns the role with pride, even slipping in gestures and glances that didn't seem to initially be in the script. Hopefully this will open her up for more serious roles than "American Psycho 2" and the typecasting that often happens with TV actresses like her.

The star of the film, in my opinion, easily has to be Russell Brand, who plays the over-conscious over-sexed rock star Aldous Snow. Snow adds the necessary level of comedy that could have been missing from what is truly a tragic plot. About halfway in the film, I couldn't help but snicker to myself just with the presence that Brand creates (complete with perfect costume choices). The only downfall to a character who is truly the Mercutio of this tragedy is that Brand clearly overshadows Bell's performance as Sarah Marshall, who is ironically the most forgettable character of the film.

The writing flows with well-timed jokes, apathetic digs, and shocking vulgar humor. There is even a few moments where you feel Segel was digging on the cast with jokes involving crime dramas (Segel did time on "CSI") and TV actresses in horrible horror movies (Kunis did the atrocious "American Psycho 2"); not sure if it was intentional, but I caught what I thought was a reference. Just as with most Apatow productions, leave the kids at home. Unlike the rest, however, the crude humor doesn't overflow and turn off most audiences (like I noticed with "Superbad"). It also doesn't get very heavy in the least (which is what I felt hurt "Knocked Up"). I think Apatow has found a great balance with this production and Segel's script. I also want to give credit to Nicholas Stoller , who proved that he can be successful as a director after the hit he took from helping write "Fun with Dick and Jane".

All in all, this comedy is just another example of a good time for adults. It keeps a consistently flowing script, unlike many recent comedies that seem to lose pace as they close the story. While crude, the jokes are just light enough to appease most adult audiences and the short 100 minute run time will ensure you won't be glancing at your watch waiting for it to end, just laughing hysterically.

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93 out of 148 people found the following comment useful :-
Apatow's Crew Sets the Comedy Bar for Hollywood, 27 March 2008

Author: roset3678 from United States

I'm going to be honest, walking into the advanced screening tonight I was expecting an overly chick flicky somewhat dull comedy. What I got instead was a pretty hilarious movie with just the right amount of romance and a whole lot of vulgar comedy also. I can honestly say this is the funniest movie of 2008 so far. The entire Judd Apatow crew has overall had about 4 or five great comedies in the last 3 years, putting them up with all the other great comedy film makers since 2005. This movie makes me feel like I can now trust any movie they make most the time. When this movie hits theatres in April, GO SEE IT. I promise you won't find a funnier movie out any time soon.

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89 out of 144 people found the following comment useful :-
Same Apatow clan, slightly different take., 7 February 2008

Author: Cognition from United States

This film was shown at my university tonight and Stoller was there for a Q&A after the screening. The film was the typical Apatow romp that we have seen as of late (Superbad, Knocked up, etc.). There was the usual crude and creative humor as well inappropriate sexuality to make another great Apatow team production. People should not come in with the expectation that this is another romantic comedy reincarnation of "Knocked Up". This is more of a typical and organic romantic comedy. The heavy emotional weight and issues in "Knocked up" are not present in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". The casting and comedic pacing was done very well and though it may not be a cinematic heavy hitter, it was very good for a directing debut and it was what movies all strive to be, entertaining.

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81 out of 146 people found the following comment useful :-
You Won't Soon Forget It!, 21 February 2008

Author: bwymle from United States

I know, I went for the obvious.

I was lucky enough to see an early screening of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" a few days ago and I am more than happy to start spreading some buzz for this film. It was consistently funny and highly quotable with a strong cast and well developed characters. I have been continually impressed with the multi-talented young actors under Judd Apatow's wing and Jason Segel--who, I'll admit has been one of my favorites since "Freaks and Geeks"--does not disappoint.

There are many familiar faces here from other Apatow projects, but for good reason. Paul Rudd, whom I love equally in comedy and drama (true fans must view "The Shape of Things" but be prepared to be uncomfortable), Bill Hadar, and Jonah Hill hit just the right notes in their supporting roles. There's Russell Brand--whom I was unfamiliar with but apparently evokes strong feelings one way or the other across the pond--is hysterical and delivered some of my favorite lines. Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis are sympathetic straight women to the goofy men around them. It was particularly nice to Mila Kunis outside of the 70's Show/Family Guy worlds. And, last, but certainly not least, there's 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer playing an equally lovable and funny newlywed version of Kenneth.

Though I did feel that the film ran a little long, it never once dragged. There were also a few shots that I am sure will not be available until the unrated DVD hits stores because though they are truly hilarious, they are essentially the only thing keeping the film from a PG-13 rating.

Finally, I will say, that those who liked Knocked Up, Superbad, and 40 Year-Old Virgin, will certainly enjoy this movie. I, personally, would rank it above the other three and will enjoy debating my friends about that come April.

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59 out of 107 people found the following comment useful :-
Fun Movie!, 11 April 2008

Author: orrell-3 from Los Angeles, California

I'm not a big fan of Judd Apatow and his recent crop of movies.

That said, I got to see "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" April 11 at a preview screening with some friends, and I was impressed. It's a joke movie, but it has a story that pulls you along, and the jokes are outrageously funny. I nearly died laughing. It doesn't try to push the envelope of "How immature and disgusting can we be?", which was what I have come to expect from these sorts of movies. It's just funny actors doing a great job of telling a good story that most adults will relate to in some way. It's honest fun, and I wish there were more comedies like this coming out.

All my friends enjoyed the film, too (aged 20-27). It's a good date movie, though certainly NOT one for the kids or younger teenagers.

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53 out of 105 people found the following comment useful :-
Absolutely hilarious, 9 April 2008

Author: uclacampusevents

The movie is absolutely hilarious. I loved it. It met and exceeded by (very high) expectations. Jason Segall proved he can hold down a leading role and an extremely funny script. Part of the reason this movie is so funny are the "funny 'cause it's true" aspects of Peter's method of dealing with his breakup. Although the honeymooner's plot was a little unnecessary, everything else was great. All the characters were really funny and the dialogue and situations were hilarious. Definitely worth paying for to see in the theaters and watching it with everyone else around you busting out laughing as well is a worthy experience too.

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4 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
And you thought *you* were sensitive..., 11 May 2008

Author: J Chang from United States

An amusing and sometimes awkward breakup film, this pic was written by and stars a long-time Apatow cohort, Jason Segel. The pic centers on lost, hypersensitive slacker Peter, who after being broken up with by his TV star girlfriend copes with its end poorly, eventually escaping to Hawaii where he subsequently books himself into a hotel that she is coincidentally staying at.

Immediate warning to those sensitive to full frontal male nudity: it is present and more than once. That out of the way, the pic was pretty affable, containing more than a handful of good laughs as well as more than a lot of generally comically captured sex scenes. Many of the secondary characters also play enjoyably silly roles. And there is a funny musical component to the pic that also includes an amusing rendition of puppet-related works.

I suppose I do have to level a little criticism for the theme being a little slight, but there still is something to be said for healing of personal wounds and learning to "move on". Those that have seen other Apatow relationship pics will probably see a number of similarities (slacker dude learns to grow up, gross out comedy, etc), even though Apatow didn't write or direct this piece. The film is also a bit on the long side, like many comedies that come from the Apatow crew and you do notice it. Some judicious trimming and relegating of some scenes (including numerous flashbacks) to DVD extras would've been helpful.

Finally, I wish that more character could be drawn from both Sarah Marshall and Peter's newfound love interest, hotel employee Rachel as they played fairly two-dimensional, but I'm glad that Sarah didn't end up a one-note character as well. I didn't love the conclusion of the breakup story arc because I felt that it was a bit of a cop-out, but it didn't ruin the film. Lastly, Peter was written a little on the edge of believability in terms of being oversensitive, so you really have to buy his character, otherwise the film will break on you.

Essentially, this is a congenial, enjoyable, but rude/crude film with a share of laughs and more Jason Segel than you probably ever wanted to see. Recommended for those who like some story with their laughs and can handle the vulgar, sexual, and nude content. 8/10.

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Predictable, Eclectic and Not Novel, But Still Pretty Enjoyable, 22 August 2008

Author: Subhamoy Sengupta from kolkata, India

A fellow has written here that the only thing that stands out in this film is male nudity, which is not a plus, and the acceptability of this film depends on the viewer's tolerance to averageness. Well, I am not going to strongly oppose that or anything, and maybe to most, that is what the film amounts down to, but I find this film much more enjoyable that Good Luck Chuck, or Heartbreak Kid, or other similar films a film school student has categorized as "apato" in another comment here.

Things shown in this film are, as always, not theoretically impossible, but it just doesn't happen. There are things the drop dead gorgeous beauties could do, that would change the lives of many, which they do not, except in the movies. But of course, it is a movie, so what the heck! One of the things that make this film more enjoyable than most other similar films is the fact that the central character of this film is not a veteran in the industry of playing loony characters, like Ben Stiller is. So it does not take too much of patience or tolerance or hard work to make yourself believe that this guy Peter, who is trying to forget Sarah Marshall, can actually be a normal man from a normal society, who is just sucking at living right now, but he is not completely banged up in the head. When I watched "There is Something about Mary", I felt severely suffocated and awkward, because it was mostly not funny and none of the characters in the film did anything at all like an actual human would do! Abnormal or dysfunctional are not synonyms of funny. It should not be too hard to understand, but people often don't! So in an industry where "There is Something About Mary" has received complements like "Phenomenal!" or "A True Collectible!", Forgetting Sarah Marshall deserves at least some credit, in my opinion.

There is not much else to say. I recommend this film over most other mindless comedies made in Hollywood. Not that this one is something very special, but at least I, as a not-so-outdoorsy and not-so-cool-but-still-normal man, could relate to it, and understood it, and had a few good laughs, and also could relate to the sad moments of the film.

If you are sick of films like Good Luck Chuck or Heartbreak Kid, there is a fair chance that you may still like Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I know I did!

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2 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Good movie overall. Funny, witty, not too sappy., 8 May 2008

Author: gargamel from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Forget Sarah Marshall he doesn't, but get over her he does. So we all know the premise from the trailers, right. Guy gets dumped, girl has new (famous and obnoxious) boyfriend, both go on vacation to the same place accidentally. Hilarity ensues. Kinda.

There are some really funny moments in this movie. There are also some that are 'supposed' to be funny, but fail or you've already seen it in the trailer. Of course, some scenes are just too cheesy to be funny, but that is to be expected.

The acting is pretty solid for a comedy. This movie doesn't take itself too seriously and that is good. It does what it sets out to do. Entertain for a couple of hours and make you laugh. Everything pretty much gets tied up in a nice little package for you even. The story is a little too ironic at times, but it flows nicely. I enjoyed it and would recommend for a date movie..... as long as you both are okay with some very short lived female nudity and some longer lived male nudity.

On the Gargamel scale it gets 1 for story 1 for acting 1 for nudity 0 car chases and I don't remember any gunfire/explosions either... that gives it a 3 (double it to 6 on the IMDb scale) but I'm giving a big 0.5 for style so since there is no 6.5 I'm rounding up to a 7. How's that for favorable math?

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3 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Forgetting Sarah Marshall was another entertaining Judd Apatow comedy, 21 April 2008

Author: tavm from Baton Rouge, La.

Having been involved in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, and now Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I think it's about time to call Judd Apatow the John Hughes of this generation. With a script by star Jason Segel and players like Jack McBrayer, Russell Brand, Apatow regulars Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Paul Rudd, and leading ladies Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis, Apatow has once again tapped into the public's taste for the raunchy and the romantic to a uniquely captivating effect. Seeing Segel's breakup with Bell while performing full-frontal was a bravely hilarious dare on his part. Seeing McBrayer's strained attempts at satisfying his newlywed other are some of plenty of other highlights for me. One of my favorite scenes comes near the end when we see the results of the "Dracula" puppet musical Segal's character created that looked entertaining enough for me to want to see in real life! The heart, laughs, and the painfully realistic depictions of relationships as enacted here provide a wonderful mix that makes this one of the most entertaining comedies I've seen at the movies so far this year. So with all that said, I highly recommend Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

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