Knocked Up

Judd Apatow

BY Noel DixPublished Jun 1, 2007

Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is an unemployed pothead who miraculously winds up having sex with Alison (Katherine Heigl), a woman completely out of his league who took the celebrating of her recent promotion a little too far.

During the awkward "morning after” breakfast it’s apparent to Alison that she made a huge mistake and she quickly exits in hopes of putting her questionable hook-up behind her to focus on her new job as an on-screen reporter. After vomiting for no apparent reason during an interview with James Franco (just one of the many Freaks and Geeks alumni in this film), she begins to realise that she is pregnant with Ben’s bastard child and what was to be a forgettable one night stand becomes the foundation for an unlikely parenthood.

Knocked Up could have gone in any number of directions but with the incredible Judd Apatow in control, we witness a very touching and extremely hysterical spin on how two people deal with a life-changing incident, especially when the couple involved are night and day. Watching Ben nervously attempt to take control of his life in order to be with Alison is empowering and frustrating; here’s a man who managed to wind up with a woman way out of his league but he sabotages the relationship over and over again. As a male watching these events transpire, you can’t help but feel angry witnessing someone blowing a prime opportunity but at the same time, how would one really cope with unexpectedly becoming a father-to-be with a complete stranger, regardless of how gorgeously jaw-dropping she is?

The relationship is hot and cold but more importantly, it’s absolutely believable. Ben might be a loser when it comes to his lifestyle but he also sticks by his equally deadbeat friends and beliefs, refusing to completely change at the drop of a hat for Alison but also failing to realise he needs to alter his lifestyle. Alison certainly isn’t thrilled about the idea of having Ben as the father of her child but at the same time, she gives him a chance but is never really comfortable with her decision, especially when running into friends on the street and downplaying her relationship.

Knocked Up delivers one incredibly funny one-liner after another — the kind where you’re going to miss three jokes because the audience is laughing so hard — and manages to balance many sweet moments, allowing the film to become something more than just vagina jokes.

After the cancellation of his two incredible television shows (Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared), Judd Apatow’s luck has changed and the director of The 40 Year Old Virgin once again hits the jackpot when it comes to making incredible films.
(Universal)

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