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By Stephanie Holland
Solving the economic crisis one ‘Porno’ at a time (Courtesy of The Weinstein Company)
By Stephanie Holland
America has fallen on tough times. The current economic climate has caused many to come up with new ways to pay their bills. Well, the newest Kevin Smith movie has figured out a solution to crippling debt: porn.
In “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks play roommates who decide to make a porn film in order to pay their mountain of bills.
The idea of porn being so prominently featured in a mainstream studio movie has caused some controversy. However, what Smith has made is a really sweet romantic comedy that masquerades as a hilariously raunchy comedy.
With the success of films like “Superbad” raunchy comedy is making a comeback and no one does this style of filmmaking better than Smith.
In “Zack and Miri,” he uses the characters dire straits and naiveté to full comedic effect in some of the most inappropriately hilarious scenes ever filmed.
As the film opens Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) are getting ready to attend their 10-year high school reunion, where Miri plans to seduce school stud Bobby. Unfortunately for her, Bobby is gay and has brought his gay porn star boyfriend Brandon St. Randy to the reunion.
It is Zack’s conversation with Brandon, played to scene-stealing perfection by Justin Long, that eventually sets the characters on their x-rated journey.
Smith’s films usually focus on interesting characters that have been placed in ridiculous circumstances.
With this movie, audiences know going in what the circumstances are, so it is up to the actors to make the situation believable.
Rogen and Banks are endlessly charming in this capacity, playing people, who despite their desperation, are always able to find the humor in their situation.
Craig Robinson of “The Office” plays Zack’s co-worker Delaney who becomes their producer because he wants to be “Oprah rich.” Robinson is laugh out loud funny in every scene he’s in. When we first meet him he is explaining to his boss in side-splitting fashion why he refuses to work on “Black Friday.”
Smith regulars Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson also play members of the porn production crew. The strong performances of the supporting cast help create a complete world that the viewer can become invested in.
Since “Zack and Miri” is a romantic comedy it has all the standard scenes, like the moment when the characters realize they’re in love with each other, of course in this film that scene takes place in the middle of an x-rated scene.
There is also the classic fight that breaks-up the romantic leads, however when that happens it features a moment so disgustingly funny that it can’t really be described on paper. And the big romantic finale takes place with one character sitting on the toilet and involves something called the “Dutch rudder.”
Needless to say, this isn’t your mother’s romantic comedy.
“Zack and Miri” may not fit Hollywood’s ideal of what a date movie should be but there is certainly the guarantee that when it’s over your date will definitely be feeling the love and they’ll probably be a little horny because, well, there is a lot of porn.
