Movie Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is kind of awesome. It was written by Jason Segel, produced by Judd Apatow, and features Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis playing characters who act, for the most part, the way actual women might act. (Earlier in the film, there's a quick montage of women that made me frown through my appalled laughter.) The film is set and shot in Hawaii, so characters of color are featured in a greater percentage than many other movies, in non-stereotypical roles (if, at least, you discount the convenience of most also working at the resort the main character visits). The relationships overall are three-dimensional, and there aren't any clear villains in the piece. It was a rare five minutes in which I didn't laugh, even though, as with many Apatow laughs, they were sometimes of the I can't believe they said that out loud variety. There were quite a few cheap laughs, and a great many more dirty jokes. (If there is anybody in your life with whom you can't watch sex scenes--even brief, comedic ones--do not sit next to them for the duration of this movie.) Aside from a few minutes worth' of photographs, there isn't any female nudity in the movie, but there is male nudity. None of it was anywhere near as exploitative as it could have been, which was a pleasant surprise. If you love Marshall Eriksen from How I Met Your Mother, you will probably like this movie. If you enjoy Apatow movies, but wish they were friendlier to women and relationships with women, you will probably appreciate this movie. Also, there are puppets.