'Sarah Marshall' is hard to forget
MOVIE REVIEW
by TIMOTHY CHIPP Reporter

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a funny film. Laughing brightens my day. But sometimes a well-written comedy goes beyond the laughs.

The realistic breakup movie, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," does just that.

Produced by Judd Apatow - the guy behind "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Superbad" - the movie breaks down the archetypes created by past films.

Or maybe its brilliance comes because I can relate to the film personally.

If you haven't loved and lost, you won't understand this movie. It's for people who have been in a relationship with another person and had it slip away.

If that's not you, this is just another comedy with full-frontal male nudity.

For the 99 percent of humanity that has been in that heart-ripped-out-of-the-body breakup, there will be nothing better than seeing this movie.

Writer/star Jason Segel is brilliant, creating the hilarious antics of heartbroken musician Peter Bretter and the thoughtless woman who destroys him, television star Sarah Marshall, played by the gorgeous Kristen Bell.

When they break up, depression takes root in Bretter, he wallows in his own pain, and he goes on the stereotypical rebound.

But after failing with a smorgasbord of women, he takes an impromptu vacation to Hawaii, where - surprise! - Marshall is vacationing with her new boyfriend, rocker Aldous Snow (Russell Brand).

Awkward moments never cease as they try to coexist on the small island. But the beauty of the story is that the characters evolve, and we come to find out she isn't so thoughtless after all.

In breakup comedies, oftentimes one or both characters come across as the bad guy. Not here, however, as Segel's story flushes out all things Marshall and allows even the "dumper" to get her thoughts out, explaining how a five-year relationship ends.

And when she does, the complexion of the story changes to show that there isn't always a right and a wrong. After all, she isn't without feeling, despite being the "bad guy" of the film.

Further complicating the film is Bretter's budding romance with hotel receptionist Rachel Jansen, played by "That 70s Show" star Mila Kunis, who finally provides the stable force in his life that he was missing since his breakup with Marshall.

He slowly finds comfort and lets time heal his wounds, though there are some speed bumps. After all, the movie is realistic, complete with feelings that don't go away overnight and mistakes that even "good guys" make.

Even Brand's character has taste, something rarely seen on screen. He's intelligent, knows how to be polite, and understands what unfolds around him.

If you've seen any of the pre-release trailers, you know he's naked. However, the nudity doesn't so much shock the audience as play into the realism and the comedy.

The film also features Segel's "Dracula" rock opera, something unheard of until this movie was made.

The hilarious songs written and sung by Segel feature an overly dramatic Dracula lamenting his lack of ability to love and die like a human, subtly reinforcing the plot.

In interviews, Segel revealed that the songs were written years before the movie was written, before anyone knew who he was.

With this movie, it will be hard to forget who he is for a while. You're a movie star now, Jason. What's next? I know I'm waiting.