Publications
Partners
What it's about:
With mountains of overdue bills piling up, Zack (Seth Rogen) and his roommate/childhood friend Miri (Elizabeth Banks) aren't sure how they're going to stay in their Pittsburgh apartment. But a chance encounter at their 10-year reunion gives them the idea to make money producing a porn movie. When it comes time for the friends to do the deed, they begin to realise that perhaps they're more than just friends.
What we thought of it:
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is an unpretentious f-bomb of a movie. Don't over-think this one - the title is bang on, and that's probably all anyone needs to pique their interest in the movie.
Seth Rogen is that guy every girl has a crush on, but would never admit to it. He's not particularly dashing or handsome in the traditional Hollywood sense, but has still managed to become one of the hottest comedy properties around. Zack is a typical Rogen character – a surprisingly articulate and gentle slacker who gets the girl. As with Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, Rogen is paired with a blonde bombshell who's way out of his league. In this case, said bombshell is downgraded to a granny-panty-wearing broke loser in the form of Elizabeth Banks' Miri.
In true Kevin Smith style, the dialogue is a colourful tapestry of f-bombs, c-bombs, p-bombs – practically making use of the full range of alphabetical vulgarities known to man. Zack and Miri enlist the help of six other downtrodden has-beens, including Craig Robinson (The Office) as Delaney, Jeff Anderson (Clerks) as Deacon and real-life porn star Katie Morgan, star of such gems as Desperate Housewhores: Butt Hole in One. Also making an appearance is 1984 Playhouse Playmate and old-school pornster Traci Lords.
Banks and Rogen outperform the script and save it from being just another frat boy T&A (tits and ass) flick. The humour is crude as expected, but even crude should have standards, and at some points, Zack and Miri loses the plot.
There is a moment between the climax and the movie's final throes that makes you long for the end credits already. And then Smith ends it just as you'd expect, betraying the build-up he'd been working towards. And just like any porno, Zack and Miri's best bits, er, come in the middle, because that's where all 'action' happens - the beginning and end are mere formalities.
