Forgetting Sarah Marshall


Dir: Nicholas Stoller
112 Mins
2008











Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is ditched by his famous attractive girlfriend who tells him she has met someone else. The inconsolable Bretter finally decides on a vaction to Hawaii to take his mind off things. Arriving at his vacation resort Peter runs into Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) and her new brit rock star boyfriend Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) who are staying at the same resort. This sets the platform for much humiliation and awkwardness as both decide to stay at the resort.

In many ways Forgetting Sarah Marshall has as much going for it as not going for it. Many moments in the film are genuinely funny whilst also being wince inducing and much to my surprise Russell Brand shines as Aldous Snow. The comedy is also rarely less than perceptive and smart in the subject of failed relationships. On the other hand, in the negative column, the finished film does not hang together as well as it should and so narrative momentum is lost. The pace is constantly hampered by the over use of short flashbacks which feel somewhat indulgent. The overall effect of this is that Forgetting Sarah Marshall feels somewhat bloated by its end. Where Knocked Up (2007) felt less than its considerable running time this lengthy feature tends to over elaborate and takes a somewhat drawn out path to its major scenes. A fine example of this is towards the end when the film makers insist on showing us a large part of Blatters puppet show which really isn't warranted or needed under the circumstances. Even so, many of the scenes involving Segel and most involving Brand are on target and Segel is brave in putting Peter Blatter through a great number of comic humiliations. Moreover the weighty issue of relationship break up is handled very well in a number of seriously written scenes between Blatter and Marshall without being sentimental or overtly maudlin. Anyone who has been in love and found it suddenly ended will almost certain relate to this material.

The fringe players in this film generally do an adequate job. Mila Kunis as Rachel Jansen might be a little too perfect as Blatter's new object of affection as the film wears on but this is forgivable for the sheer charm she exudes on screen. The one fringe player that really excels in getting laughs is Paul Rudd playing Chuck a frazzled surf instructor, he is obviously having a great deal of fun here, he has some of the funniest lines and malapropisms. "When life gives you lemons, just say fuck the lemons and bail" Chuck tells Peter Blatter when they first meet. The only character that grates is Jack Mcbrayer as Darald who is too hysterical in tone and ends up a one dimensional caricature that seems very out of place with the whole film, more disturbing than comical.

This is an often funny film that under the glossy surface contains a great deal of honesty about failed relationships. The fundamental problems Forgetting Sarah Marshall has are at directorial level, it is very workmanlike put together and the cinematography leaves Hawaii looking rather flat and plain, unfortunetly this is also combined with some very flabby editing which leads the whole film to be uneven on the whole. Critics predisposed against the Apatow canon will level charges of mysoginy against the film but as far as I can see this is a pretty honest portrait of misunderstanding and betrayal between the sexes. It is a fine attempt to blend the neurosis of early Woody Allen with an indie sensibilty and Hollywood presentation. It is a pity that the excellent script written by Segel himself has gotten mired at the level of production, Forgetting Sarah Marshall seriously lacks flair and pacing. A little shorter, a little prettier and a little tighter and this could've been in the Superbad (2007) bracket, unfortunetly we are left with a slight misfire but an often entertaining and memorable one nonetheless.
4 / 6