I Remember Sarah

I forget whether we are still supposed to love the Judd Apatow crew, or if backlash has set in, and we hate them. No matter, I rather liked Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But there was something I couldn't overlook.

First, the story: Jason Segel is a schlubby slacker man-child whose world is shattered when Sarah Marshall (Kirsten Bell) breaks up with him. To get over her, he goes on a vacation in Hawaii, and runs into her and her new boyfriend, rockstar Russell Brand. But he gets some emotional encouragement from the cute hotel desk clerk, Mila Kunis.

Next, the love: This is a very well-put together comedy that cares about the characters. They are not just there for the jokes. Russell Brand, for instance, is a piss-take on British rockers, but surprisingly sympathetic. He meditates, he takes people seriously, and he has been sober for 7 years. I was sure he was going to fall off the wagon with "humorous" results, but no. His basic coolness makes him a great romantic rival - making him a slimeball or a moron would be too easy. I liked Segel's half-brother in a similar way.

But now, the problem: As soon as I saw Segel go up to the pretty desk clerk, my heart sank. I thought, she's going to take him under her wing, get him to open up emotionally and learn to love again. And by god, she did.

That's not so bad, though, is it? Sure, it's a cliche, but this is a romantic comedy, what do you expect? But it had a chance to be better than that. Especially because the movie commits that other cliche, the one that drives me nuts - the dumpy, dopey guy that has gorgeous women all over him (see: Knocked Up).

Look, Jason Segel isn't bad, but he doesn't really seem to be in the same league as his ex Kirsten Bell or the new girl Mila Kunis. He also isn't charming, funny, talented, rich, smart... He's a schlub. Why was Bell with him in the first place? OK, she's a little high-maintenance - besides, we don't know how they started out. But Kunis latches onto him right away. To me, it makes no sense. It kills the suspension of disbelief.

In conclusion, a funny movie, really well made, with an incredible sense of male entitlement.