I just saw Superbad last night, and along with Knocked Up it seems to mark a trend (two makes a trend in blog terms) in the direction of a very odd thematic juxtaposition. On one level, these are movies telling guys that what you need to do to get the girl is basically to stop acting like such a fucktard. And in that sense, in addition to being funny movies, they're both movies that have a kind of worthy social message.
On another level, however, both movies seem to imply that there are tons of gorgeous women out there, seemingly intelligent and kind, who are just chomping at the bit for the opportunity to go out with fundamentally unlikable losers if they can just pull themselves together and act like average human beings for a minute. The primary focus is really is on the first theme, but this secondary element is vital to the plot mechanics, and seems to substantially undercut the intended message.
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Heads in the Sand
Well, I'd make a couple distinctions - Michael Cera in Superbad and Steve Carell in 40-Year-Old Virgin were quite likable. They were losers, but they were fundamentally good, caring men, and their respective love interests - Catherine Keener in particular, who got a lot more to do - I thought appeared to be good matches for them.
Seth Rogen in Knocked Up and especially Jonah Hill in Superbad - Hill playing a character written by Rogen based on Rogen, but as a less likable, significantly more likely closeted character - were much harder to accept as particularly good people who were going to treat others, and significant others, as well as they ought.
Posted by DivGuy | September 2, 2007 2:55 PM