Superbad

In little more than a year I'll be 40. You'd think that coming-of-age teen sex comedies would be losing their appeal with me. Well, that all depends on how funny said teen sex comedy is. "Risky Business"? A classic that I've found stands the test of time. (Watching it as a married-with-kids adult for the first time was an unusual but pleasant experience.) "American Pie"? Dude, you stuck your dick in a pie! Now we have "Superbad", which is so damn funny I'll probably still enjoy it when I'm 70. I'll probably laugh so hard I dislodge my colostomy bag.

"Superbad" tells the story of Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two virginal high school seniors trying to score alcohol for a big party in the hopes that it will help them get some sexual experience before college. Joined at the hip for years, Seth and Evan are also dealing with an accute case of separation anxiety, as they are heading to different colleges in the fall. When their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) produces one of the worst fake IDs in history (McLovin!) their plans begin to unravel into desperation, and it's all downhill from there. While Seth and Evan continue trying to score booze, Fogell winds up spending a wild night with two cops. Hilarity ensues. The cops, played by Bill Hader and Seth Rogen (who also co-wrote), are two of the funniest cops in the history of cinema, right up there with the VT Highway Patrol in "Super Troopers".


Teen sex comedies live or die by their writing and the performances of the leads, and "Superbad" has both categories locked. The script is genuinely funny and even has a heart. The performances are comic gold. Jonah Hill shines as the desperately immature Seth, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse is so geeky he's almost cool. I've been a fan of Michael Cera since discovering "Arrested Development" in its second season, and its great to see him getting solid movie work. He reminds me of a young Bob Newhart, mild-mannered even when he's super pissed. Probably my favorite scene in the movie involves Evan (Cera) bitching out his unreliable cell phone, while his would-be girlfriend on the other end hears about every fourth word, essentially, "...fuck...fucking...piece of...unreliable...bitch slap you so fucking hard."

If you're young enough at heart to enjoy a good teen sex comedy, put "Superbad" on your list. It's a lot of funny, with solid writing and terrific comedic performances. It'll make you glad you're not a virgin anymore.

Oh, and the dick drawings are great. Absolutely inspired. Something like 8% of kids do it.