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'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' Movie Review

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'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' Movie Review

Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno.'

© Weinstein Company
Writer/director Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno ranks right up there with his Chasing Amy, Mallrats, and the original Clerks. Not only that, with Porno Smith delivers one of the funniest movies of 2008. Smith's raunchy comedy is full of expletives and naked or nearly naked people having or nearly having sex. It's also littered with some of the most wickedly funny lines of any comedy movie this year – maybe even this decade.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno is hitting theaters at what I think is the perfect time. Dramatic films are basically tanking and comedy is definitely king of the box office. With a stinking, sinking economy and patience for political campaigning on TV wearing thin, Zack and Miri Make a Porno could turn out to be Smith's most financially successful film to date. If not, it's only because people are scared of the title. But, seriously, would you buy a ticket to Zack and Miri Make a Movie Kids Shouldn't See? Or just Zack and Miri? I don't even know what a Miri is…

The Story

Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) is Zack. Elizabeth Banks (of just about every movie released in 2008) is Miri. Friends since kindergarten, their relationship has never wavered and has never gone beyond being just platonic. They treat each as equals in just about every way, and when their bank accounts dip into negative territory, they make the joint decision to film their own porno movie in order to get the electricity and water turned back on and to keep from being evicted.

Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen in 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno.'

© Weinstein Company
Totally desperate, Zack and Miri reach the point where even breaking the platonic barrier to have sex on camera sounds like a good idea. After all, they'll only be having sex to make money. There's nothing that could go wrong with that, is there? They can go back to being just friends after going at it on camera, right? And if Zack, Miri, or the audience buys into that, then none of the aforementioned have ever watched a romantic comedy.

The Cast

Kevin Smith made one of the best decisions of his career by hooking up with Seth Rogen. Rogen's just about the most unlikely romantic leading man in Hollywood, yet casting him as the lead male love interest always works. Rogen's likeable, relatable, and non-threatening. If he's having a good time on the screen, the audience is right there with him. When he's suffering a little heartache, we feel his pain. And Rogen and his co-star Elizabeth Banks have fantastic chemistry and share flawless comedic timing. Banks should be the first choice on any casting director's list, no matter the genre. She's got it all and she's not afraid to look ridiculous showing it off.

Porn film veterans Traci Lords and Katie Morgan along with Ricky Mabe and Kevin Smith regulars Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes are terrific in supporting roles. Justin Long and Superman Returns star Brandon Routh also make an appearance and Long, as usual, adds something quirky and special to his part. But the scene-stealer…the guy who deserves to be the lead in a Judd Apatow movie (I'm starting my campaign for this right now)…is Craig Robinson. Every single line Robinson utters is hysterical and it's not just the dialogue he's been given. It's all in his delivery.

A scene from 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno.'

© Weinstein Company
The Bottom Line

Kevin Smith's taken a cue from Judd Apatow's success with The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up and created a surprisingly sweet, profanity-laden sex comedy. Oh yeah, Zack and Miri Make a Porno will definitely offend some viewers (as did Virgin and Knocked Up), but I've got to believe if the title alone offends you, you know better than to buy a ticket to watch the movie. Zack and Miri Make a Porno – that spells out right there what you're in store for. If you can handle the title, you can probably handle the R-rated film.

GRADE: A-

Zack and Miri Make a Porno was directed by Kevin Smith and is rated R for strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language.

Theatrical Release Date: October 31, 2008

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