Let me preface this by saying: I love comedies. I don’t care if they considered a “low art form” (ahem ACADEMY). They give sweet escape and release when the world gets tough. And with the world being how it is right now, we definitely need it.

Anyway, so last night I had the pleasure of going to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall. From the opening scene to the very last kiss, this movie delivered what I have come to expect from a Apatow comedy– uproarious scenes mixed with a lot of heart. Jason Segal shined as the heartbroken, downtrodden would-be composer, Kristen Bell was perfection as the conflicted ex-girlfriend, and to my surprise, and Mila Kunis was adorably wonderful as the new love interest.

Let’s not forget the supporting cast: Bill Hader, a friendly face from SNL and Superbad, was delightful as the friend doling out the break up advice. Sarah Marshall’s new boyfriend, a British rocker played by Russel Brand, was a constant source of laughter and ridiculous, raunchy hilarity. The laughter kept coming with Dwayne the Bartender and Kemo, two natives that befriend the saddened Segal. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Apatow comedy without some familiar faces: Matthew the Waiter and Chuck the surfer instructor played by Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd, respectively. These amusing, small scenes featuring the side characters kept the movie light, and each time one of these actors were on screen, laughter from the entire audience was a sure thing.

While the Apatow gang kept the laughs coming, they never seem to forget the importance of heart in their stories. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was written by Jason Segal, and he walked the fine line between ridiculous and heartfelt perfectly. The one thing that can be said for the movies that these funny guys keep churning out: they understand character development. The audience ends up taking the journey with these characters and feeling for them. Sarah Marshall was not just an evil ex-girlfriend, and Peter Bretter was not just the poor boyfriend. There were layers there, and that is what make this particular film work. They are funny, but the characters reflect the real human condition.
In closing, Forgetting Sarah Marshall has something for everyone, a massive amount of full frontal male nudity, hilarity and heart. I highly recommend going to see it, especially if you need a few lols in your life.