Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Perfect Weekend Viewing review

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My choice in movies quite often is organic. If I see movie I like, I have to see another film by the same actor/actress/director. It started with Dan in Real Life. Steve Carrell was so good in that one that I ended up watching The 40 Year Old Virgin, which was even better. I zeroed in on director Judd Apatow which meant that Knocked Up was next. Made up my mind to catch Seth Rogen's next and so Zack and Miri it was. It has been two months since I have been OD-ing on comedies, but I can't seem to get enough.

From the illustrious list mentioned above, Zack and Miri probably is the weakest link, yet it fits the bill for a perfect weekend afternoon viewing. If you like your comedy neat and clean and starched, stay away from this one. For it does not just push the envelope, but rips it open with bare hands and shreds it to pieces. Ribald jokes and bawdy scenes dominate the screenplay. There isn't a single line from the film that I can share with you without peppering it with asterisks in line with prudent publishing norms.

The film as the name suggests is about Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who decide to make a porno. They have been platonic friends for the past 20 years and even share the same apartment. When hard times set in, a homemade naughty movie seems to be the easy way out to pay the bills. So they gather a motley group of ‘˜actors' and crew and go right ahead with the job on hand. In fact two of them, Katie Morgan and Traci Lords are actual porn stars. (Please do not ask me how I know that!). Along the way, the platonic friendship turns into a physical relationship but that part is easy to guess.

In fact there is hardly anything in the movie that is a first. Most of the jokes have been done before. But its the way the actors attack them is that makes Zack and Miri stand out from the crowd. The line between droll and crude is always tenuous and it takes a lot of conviction to successfully tread on it. Director Kevin Smith manages it quite well this time round. Right from the title to the poster to the film itself, you can almost see the perceptive grin on his face as knows he is venturing into risqué territory. One false move and the entire project could be labeled as soft P. Which is probably why there isn't too much nudity but more of verbal innuendos.

A good comedy is a rare commodity; hence even good efforts such as this one should not be left unviewed. Knowing our censor board, it can be safely assumed that it will never make it to Indian cinema halls. Rent the DVD instead. It's a worthy watch.

Director: Kevin Smith

[rating:3]