When I first heard about the movie Zach and Miri Make a Porno, I must admit I found myself at an emotional crossroads. On one hand, it was a film directed by the legendary Kevin Smith, a moviemaker who made not only “Clerks” and “Mallrats” but also “Dogma” and “Chasing Amy” – all movies I adore. On the other hand, it starred Seth Rogen, who acted in some of my not-so-favorite movies including the snoozefest “Pineapple Express.” I expected him to play the same role he always does, one with little character development and too many shock jokes that lose their flavor a quarter of the way through the movie.
Well, I can gladly say I was pleasantly surprised by Smith’s latest effort. I am not afraid to admit my expectations were completely wrong, and this film is nothing like Rogen’s other acting attempts. This brings me to my first point – “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” is not “Superbad.”
Instead of “Superbad’s” shallow, whiny teens shouting at the top of their lungs about alcohol every chance they get, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” gives the audience honest, well-developed characters that are easy to care about and easier to like. Sure, the humor is vulgar. But that is expected from Smith. The film revolves around sex and, of course, making a porno. It also deals heavily with the emotional aspect of sex and begs the question: “After sex, is it possible to be ‘just friends’?”
Rogen plays Zach Brown, a classic lovable loser who rooms with his best friend since grade school, Miriam Linky (Elizabeth Banks). The two share an impoverished apartment with no heat, water or electricity. After seeing that an old high school classmate was successful in the pornography industry, they decide to make their own to pay the bills. After all, they are good friends and sex won’t change that. Unfortunately for Zach and Miri, it does, and they are sent on an emotional roller coaster that forces them to question their relationship.
The laughs are plentiful in “Zach and Miri,” and although the truly hysterical moments are few and far between, there are enough giggles and chuckles to keep any comedy fan satisfied. The movie never really drags on and manages to stay interesting throughout — a rare feat in movies today. What really made the movie good for me were the subtle Smith-isms littered throughout. For example, one scene features Zach, annoyed at how the porno is going, stringing together a rant of obscenities while serving a customer some coffee at the shop where he works. Most viewers would assume the customer is important, but he simply left without saying a word. Thinking nothing of this upon viewing, it wasn’t until later I realized this was an homage to the many times similar scenes happened in Smith’s cult classic, “Clerks.”
The supporting cast, while flat for the most part, provides a wonderful balance between the storyline and the slapstick comedy. The characters are amusing and rich in their own special way, from the co-worker with blatant hatred for his wife to the doe-eyed thespian who doesn’t exactly know what he is getting into.
Unfortunately, most movies are not perfect and, although the story of Zach and Miri is easy to enjoy, it follows a very strict blueprint. While that isn’t neccesarily a bad thing, it makes the movie a bit predictable – guy likes girl, girl likes guy, guy loses girl and guy gets girl back. The movie is also quite forgettable. Yes, it’s good and funny, but it’s nothing that will be quoted for years to come. It’s unique, but not enough to gain cult status.
While many movies try to be family-friendly nowadays to appeal to the younger demographic, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” breaks this trend in an effort to be as vulgar as possible. Like most of Smith’s works, it is successful in this goal and also manages to create a story that many moviegoers will find endearing and easy to relate to. If you are looking to kill a few hours and don’t mind the occassional Freudian reference, you should definitely see “Zach and Miri Make a Porno.”
