Zack and Miri are lifelong friends and flatmates who live together in a run-down apartment in Pittsburgh where they work at dull, low-level jobs. As cash-flow problems begin to mount, and their water and electricity gets cut off, they decide (during their high school reunion ) to make an adult film as a way of solving their financial problems. As they attempt to keep their personal life and their new professional life separate, however, they discover they might have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.
Yes, its hardly your average rom-com, but then again, everyone knows that writer Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy ) is hardly your average movie maker. And his newest (and undoubtedly most John Hughes-ish ) flick is no different, simultaneously managing to be not only raunchy and rude, but also somehow surprisingly sweet.
The onscreen chemistry between Seth Rogan (Zack ) and Elizabeth Banks (Miri ) is easy and effortless, making them believable not only as best friends but also as potentially something more, and the laughs are almost non-stop, although at times bordering on cheesy. But then again, what else could you really expect when the discussions are surrounding amateur porn?
A stellar line up tops off the film (including Clerks’ Jason Mewes, The Office’s Craig Robinson, and real life porno pros Traci Lords and Katie Morgan ), as does some creative crudeness in the form of naming their films Star Whores (whose cast list includes R2-Teabag, Hung Solo, and Darth Vibrator ) and...well, the other one you’ll have to find out for yourself.
All in all the film is superbly written, making this hilarious rom-com probably one of the best to hit the silver screen this year. The terrific comedic performances are guaranteed to bring, in among a number of cringe-worthy moments, big laughs, while appealing to both male and female viewers thanks to its perfect balance of dirty dialogue and heart-warming goodness.
Definitely recommended...just maybe not on a first date.
