My Favorite Movies – Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

By Tanner Smith

I can thank film critic Richard Roeper for this one. I remember seeing on TV the “Ebert & Roeper” review for “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” back in April 2008, when Roeper declared his love for the movie and even said it might be one of his top 50 favorite comedies of all time.

He got a lot of hate mail for that statement. But it’s 13 years later and I doubt anyone would want to argue with him about it nowadays–because “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is a very, VERY funny movie!

Btw, Roeper responded to the haters in the most dignified way a critic could: “Well guess what, I think ‘Blazing Saddles’ is overrated, how do you like them apples!”

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is a film about a guy going through a rough time after his girlfriend for five years breaks up with him. He’s played by Jason Segel, who also wrote the screenplay–yet another classic example of an actor writing the right role for himself to play. He isn’t afraid to make his character, Peter, pathetic and miserable…and he also isn’t afraid of showing you his pecker.

This film is full of hilarious moments and characters. Everyone is so funny here–Russell Brand’s rock-star Aldous Snow (whom he would play again in “Get Him to the Greek” two years later) is so funny; Paul Rudd’s stoned surfing teacher is so funny; that newlywed couple is so funny; Jonah Hill’s stalker character is so funny; Bill Hader as Peter’s stepbrother, holy crap is he funny! Mila Kunis is absolutely delightful as Peter’s rebound–she has a great sense of comic timing, is quite fetching, and makes her character the kind of woman *I* would’ve liked to be around in a time of crisis. Even Kristen Bell as Sarah Marshall could have been someone for us to hate, but even she’s funny; I especially love when she imitates Aldous Snow’s Cockney accent.

There are a lot of moments that make me laugh each time I watch this film; too many to name even–video conversations between Peter & his brother and his wife; the advertisements for fake TV shows; and the naked breakup. (Side-note: Segel has a point; who wants to remember what they wore during a breakup?…A better question is why is that line only said in the trailer instead of the movie?)

But my absolute favorite is at the end when the film gives us a glimpse of Peter’s musical adaptation of Dracula…performed by puppets!

One of the top 50 best comedies of all time? Maybe, maybe not. But then again, humor is subjective, not objective. It just depends on your sense of humor. But this one makes me laugh each time I see it. I love it.

And by the way, because of this movie, I now know that the state fish of Hawaii is the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a! (“Yeah, bitch!”)