Kevin Smith Week: ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’

Kevin Smith week here on wearemoviegeeks.com was all built around the release of ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ and today is finally THE day. The movie is releasing today and will conquer all of you crazy bastards in such a way that you will walk out of the theater crying, laughing, and probably just have pissed your pants. I know I did, and you will to.

Also please be assured that if you dont like this movie, you probably need to get checked out because this is THE funniest movie of the year. Enjoy the reviews:

Zac:

Kevin Smith’s latest is a hilarious, raunchy, and sweet look at two friends’ platonic relationship that probably was meant to be more but never was.

Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been friends from the first grade, they have never been romantically involved emotionally, accidentally, or really ever thought about it, and they are now roommates in a place with stacking up bills and no sign of an income to help pay them off any sooner rather than later. Zack works and Bean and Gone, a local Starbucks competitor in Pittsburgh and he spends his days hanging out with his friend Delaney (Craig Robinson) and avoiding getting in trouble with his store manager. Miri’s work situation isn’t pulling down much cash either, and the two are left with defunct computers, buying pointless items, while their bills go further and further past due. The night before Thanksgiving, the two have their 10 year high school reunion and Zack is practically dragged there by Miri who is looking to score with her high school crush Bobby Long (Brandon Routh). Once Miri finds her man she leaves Zack on his own who between trying to score with married girls from his past and drinking runs into a guest of one of his classmates, Brandon (Justin Long) and the two bond over discussions of Brandon’s profession; gay porn. After the reunion, the last of the Zack and Miri’s utilities are shut off and they are left with a hobo style heating system and a desperate desire to make money, when Zack comes up with the idea of making a porno based off their recent “viral” success. Miri is quickly talked into the deal, as is Delaney to produce with his plasma TV money, and after a couple of quick casting sessions and finding someone and somewhere to shoot it, Zack and Miri are ready to produce their Porno.

I have explained quite a lot so far, but have spoiled little, and will go no further with plot, but the chemistry of these characters is fantastic though. Smith has always been great at getting his cast to bounce off each other with ease and Z&M is no different. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks bounce off each other with ease and the banter can go from dirty to sweet in a second. Craig Robinson provides many of the best lines in the film and he and Rogen have as equally as good a chemistry as he does with Banks. Jason Mewes also owns his role as the lead porn actor in the film; he isn’t a professional just more then capable with his equipment than most. Mewes is hilarious and it’s nice to see him doing something besides Jay in a Kevin Smith film, here is to him doing more original work in his friend’s future work. Both of the real life porn stars that make appearances in the film do an excellent job as well, with Katie Morgan bringing plenty of sweet and bubbly energy to her character of Stacey while hamming it up for the camera when she does the porn work in the film. She and Mewes do the majority of the sex work in the film and they make it funny and silly, while remaining somewhat authentic, nailing what Smith was going for I imagine.

The creativity Smith gets out of his porn ideas is great as well, the number of dirty jokes he comes up with around the theme of the film is pretty impressive. I also how he kind of makes an homage to the making of clerks with the shooting of the in film porno, you will know what I mean when you see it, and the coda video at the end of the film is well thought out and clever as well. Smith has crafted his most well rounded film yet with Zack and Miri but, I am not ready to anoint it as his best, though after repeat viewings we can reassess that element.

Now, the elephant in the room, how raunchy is this movie? It is pretty fucking filthy, so much so, I can’t believe that Smith got them to talk this thing down, he must be one persuasive man. Testicles, breasts, penis, vagina, and much, much more; this film has it all. And I can’t even mention the worst/funniest thing in the film as it is one of the best laughs in the film and of the year; disgustingly hilarious. The movie is so raunchy that the sweet emotional scenes become jarring because you’re so used to the profane and vulgar, but funny, material that fills a substantial amount of the film. Though, the movie does have its serious and sweet moments, and can be rather effective, even if they seem a bit out of place in this crazy flick.

I have already touched on the acting a bit but everyone in the film is working at top form. Banks’ Miri is both kind of a self proclaimed slut but some how Banks makes her sweet and adorable at times when she isn’t acting kind of dirty. Rogen does stray to far from the type he has been playing as of late, but that is OK because he is hilarious as usual. Jeff Anderson is at the center of the best gag in the movie and he just nails that while injecting plenty of good one liner’s throughout the picture. I can’t say anymore about Craig Robinson who we need to have more in movies, as he never fails to make me laugh. Justin Long steals every scene he is in, it is a shame there are only a few and Brandon Routh captures his character perfectly. Mewes is golden throughout this flick and it makes you wish he had even more work in the picture as he is a bit in the background much of the time, but he makes the most of every scene he is in. Also, Smith shows restraint by not putting himself or any of his regulars in front of the camera, and while I like those guys, it’s nice to see him moving out of the Jersey Chronicles and all that comes with it for something fresh and original with Zack and Miri here.

In the end, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is easily one of the Top 3 comedies of the year right now. I don’t know if it is quite as good as Forgetting Sarah Marshall right now as Z&M pacing falls out of whack from time to time and can’t touch Sarah Marshall’s perfect relationship/comedy balance, but there is a lot of room for this one to grow in repeat viewings. If you are a Kevin Smith or Seth Rogen fan, this one is a no brainer. A bunch of the Apatow camp guys were inspired by Kevin Smith and Clerks years ago and it’s great to see Smith come out and show that he is more than capable of creating a product as good as what those guys have been doing as of late. Though, the faint of heart, don’t say I didn’t warn you, but at least you gave it a chance.

Travis:

Kevin Smith is a filmmaker who doesn’t always get the best criticism, but he always makes quality, enjoyable films in my book. While his range in genres hasn’t truly shown itself yet, Smith has managed to widen his horizons a bit with films like ‘Chasing Amy’ and ‘Jersey Girl’. One thing I always enjoy about Smith’s movies is that he knows how to make us laugh, uncontrollably at times. Sure, his sense of humor may not be everyone’s cup-o-tea, but you can’t please everyone… just the really cool people.

Seth Rogen plays Zack, a slacker working in a Starbucks-style coffee shop in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Banks plays Miri, his best friend since grade school and roommate who doesn’t realize that Zack secretly wants to be more than friends. Zack and Miri are down on their luck and their cash flow is doing even worse. With the water and the power turned off in the middle of winter, Zack and Miri are desperate to find a new revenue stream before they lose their apartment. That’s when Zack has his brilliant idea…

Zack and Miri are going to make a porno! So, once they both decide this is meant to happen, Zack enlists his co-worker Delaney (Craig Robinson) to be the producer. Zack, Miri and Delaney begin casting and the real-life cast includes real-life porn stars Katie Morgan as the stereotypical blonde Stacey and the now “legit” actress Traci Lords as the kinky and specially talented Bubbles. The rag-tag cast of loser guys and attractive gals band together to somehow make an adult film, but not without their share of obstacles.

All of that aside, it’s the dialogue and the character interaction that makes the movie so good, as with all Smith films. Justin Long is surprisingly humorous as Brandon Routh’s gay lover who works in gay porn and it’s great to see Jeff Anderson still in the mix, playing the amateur cameraman Deacon… who happens to have some of the greatest lines in the movie! “She frosted me like a cake!” And finally, how can you have a Kevin Smith movie without Jason Mewes… exactly, you can’t! Mewes returns, but not as Jay. In fact, this is the first Kevin Smith film to completely remove itself from his usual cast of characters. Mewes does however put his “everything” into the role… and I do mean EVERYTHING!

Ram Man:

This is the movie I have been waiting for this fall. I don’t know if it strictly because it is a Kevin Smith film or because of the fiasco made by the M.P.A.A. concerning the rating and content. Either way I was able to catch an advance screening of ‘Zack and Miri Make A Porno’ and it is one of Smith’s best films ever. As he did with ‘Jersey Girl’, Kevin strayed from the coziness of the View-Askew universe of characters and introduced us to some “real’ people of Monroeville, PA. (Yes that is the same town the zombies took over in Night of the Living Dead) The people I speak of are Zack (Seth Rogan) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) or her high school nickname “stinky Linky”. Smith also realizing he needed some experience in this film, he recruited porn star Katie Morgan and a porn legend…Tracy Lords! The film also features Rogan sidekicks Craig Robinson (Knocked Up) and Gerry Bednob (40 yr. Old Virgin) along with Smith’s own buddies Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson.

Zack and Miri are roommates and best friends since high school. They are strictly friends and have never hooked up. They also never understood what it was to live on their own. After Zack spends the utility bill money on new Hockey skates and Miri blows her check on a new outfit, they both realize they are in dangers of being tossed out on the street. In Pennsylvania, thanksgiving weekend, that is a chilling thought. That is wen the lights go out. Literally… the lights go out, remember Zack didn’t pay the bill. So that scrape together what money they have left and head to the local bar (with heat) to plan a way out of this mess. They do what any red-blooded American couple who needs money would do….no they don’t get second jobs…they make a pornographic movie. Zack was forced by Miri to attend their high school reunion in an attempt for Miri to at last hook up with football stud Bobby Long (Brandon Routh). Only to find out Long is actually gay (must be from the tights in Superman Returns) and in love with male erotic movie star (played by Justin Long).

Zack and Miri decide to make the film and now must get some financing and find a location. Zack handles both. Buddy and co-worker Delaney (Robinson) donates his cash saved up for a HDTV in exchange for a role as casting director and a chance to see some titties! Zack also finds a warehouse full of trash, set to be demolished after the holidays, to film the porno. Zack and Miri also round up a cameraman Deacon (Anderson) and cast a stripper who loves anal, Stacy (Morgan) and a gal whose nickname is Bubbles for that talent she exhibits blowing them out of her vagina. All that was left was the male lead. That was taken by Lester “the molester” (Mewes). Zack thought it was a great porn name. Lester responded”We get a porn name!” The group agreed almost simultaneously on the title of the film….”Star Whores” Lucas would be proud.

The sets are finished and costumes are made and the day had finally come to shoot the first scene. Except, when the arrive at the warehouse, it is half demolished. The guy they rented from took off to Florida with the cash and now Zack and Miri have no location for their sex tape. Zack, Miri and the gang re-convene at The coffee shop where Zack and Delaney work to come up with a new plan. All the costumes , sets and equipment is gone. Zack comes up with the idea to shoot it there..at Bean-N-Gone with the surveillance camera! Acting in pornos is not even close to good and what ensued in this homegrown erotica. Filming includes hilarious scenes from Mewes doing Morgan, a drunken Steeler fan walks in on filming to get a cup of joe and comes face to face with Stacy’s tits and thinks nothing of it. (I need to visit Pittsburgh). The filming also includes the most romantic love scene in a porno to date between Zack and Miri, who by the way manges to keep their clothes on. (In Rogan’s case it is a blessing. And you know with a title like ‘Zack and Miri make a Porno’ Mewes is going to dangle his yule log somewhere in the film…and he does to the shock of Zack!

OK I have manage to keep the soap box put away during the synopsis portion of the review, but now I’m bringing it out! Now that i have seen the film I can honestly say that the “blue hairs” at the Motion Picture Assoc. of America are full of S**T! There was nothing any worse in this film to pull down an NC-17 rating than in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Eastern Promises and American Pie (all rated R). Again it is another attempt by the MPAA to try to kill one of Smith’s films. They gave the rating strictly by the word “Porno” being in the title. After the decision was over turned they fined him for an unrated trailer released on his website and killed to publicity campaign in the states by saying the posters were obscene. How childish can you be. So Kevin, in his own style, released a new poster with stick figures on it to make the folks at the MPAA nursing home happy.

‘Zack & Miri Make A Porno’ is one of Kevin Smith’s finest films to date. It definitely has the best acting of any of the previous ones. It is hilarious and yes it has some bad language, nudity and sexual references, but it is done in a way to entertain and not insult. If you choose to skip “Zack & Miri’ just for the word porno in the tile I feel sorry for you. Not because you are missing one of the funniest films of the year. No, because you are subscribing to the stupidity that is the MPAA and becoming yet another one of the cattle that choose to be told rather than find out on your own. For those of you Kevin Smith “Die Hards” (blatant plug I couldn’t resist) I hope you enjoy ‘Zack & Miri Make A Porno’ and see it repeatedly and show the world by making it #1 at the box office and giving the MPAA the big “F**K YOU!” OK now I will stop channeling my inner Hooper and just say “Go see Zack and Miri this weekend and laugh your ass off! ”

[rating:4.5/5]

Jeremy:

The last time Kevin Smith stepped away from the View Askew universe, he punched out ‘Jersey Girl’. The film is enjoyable and heartfelt in its own right, but fans of Smith’s previous films were left wanting more. Smith’s foray into the world of PG-13 romantic comedies was not met with open arms to say the very least. Some even blamed Smith for trying too hard to work with the Hollywood system, something I’m sure Smith is sure never to do again.

With ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’, Smith again steps out of the View Askew universe. He even steps away from the New Jersey for the first time. However, ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is anything but a PG-13 romantic comedy. It is as hard-edged as anything else he has done before. It might possibly be even harder than anything he’s done before. Fans of Smith will not be disappointed.

Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are two, high school friends/roommates, who are down on their luck financially. While attending their ten-year high school reunion, Zack runs into Brandon St. Randy (Justin Long), a gay porn star who is dating one of their high school friends. This encounter snowballs an idea into Zack’s head that he and Miri could make a porno to relieve them of their financial woes. As you can surely imagine, logistical issues and awkward hilarity are sure to ensue.

‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is through and through a Kevin Smith film. Having said that, it seems like the perfect marriage between the world of Kevin Smith and the world of Judd Apatow. In this film, we are treated to some of Smith’s best-written dialogue in years broaching just about every subject regarding porn under the sun. At the same time, the film, particularly the nature of Zack and Miri’s relationship, is as sweet as anything in ’40-Year-Old Virgin’ or ‘Knocked Up’.

In fact, this is probably this film’s biggest flaw. When it is trying to be funny, it is extremely funny. There are moments where you will be rolling on the floor. But, when the comedy subsides and we are left with watching the romance blossom between the two, main characters, it becomes quite saccharine. This is something that is shocking coming from Smith. This is the guy who brought us ‘Chasing Amy’, arguably the most ground in reality love story ever told. So it takes you aback when you start to realize you are watching just another romantic comedy filled with drawn-out misunderstandings and cliched outcomes.

This aspect of the film is helped tremendously by Banks and Rogen. They are an adorable couple together, and, singularly, the two are incredibly funny. Who knew that Elizabeth Banks could hold her own comedically with Seth Rogen? And the chemistry that builds between them is genuine.

Luckily for us, though, the sweetness in ‘Zack and Miri’ is easily covered up by the unbelievably crude yet hilarious comedy that the film has to offer. Being a Kevin Smith film, the humor is, at the same time, very witty and original as well. When they are trying to come up with a title and premise for their porno, Zack and Miri spout out some extremely funny ideas. They eventually settle on ‘Star Whores’, an idea that will surprise absolutly no one in the Kevin Smith fan-base.

Everyone in ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ are hilarious, as well, but with a few standouts. Craig Robinson, an Abatow regular, is riotous as Delaney, the porno’s producer. Traci Lords and Katie Morgan are about as cute as they can be, being actual porn stars who are mainstreaming it here. Jason Mewes gives another amazing performance in a Kevin Smith film playing a character other than Jay for the first time. He proves with this film that he will do anything, and I mean anything, for a part in one of hid buddy’s films.

However, the biggest standout of them all, the one performance that is quite possibly the best thing about ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is Long as the gay porn star. The way Long carries himself and the affectation he puts on his voice makes it the perfect performance. Seriously, a whole spinoff film about Brandon St. Randy would be a real treat. Stick around through the end credits to see even more of this character.

Between ‘Clerks II’ and now this, Kevin Smith has certainly shed any stigma that he may have garnered from ‘Jersey Girl’. At times, ‘Zack and Miri’ gets a little too sweet for its own good, and a little more realism could have done that part of the film wonders. That aside, ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is one of Smith’s funniest films to date. He truly has put himself back on top as the reigning king of comedy.

[rating:4/5]

Melissa:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHHAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

I cannot tell you the last time that I laughed that hard in a movie theater!!! Mr. Smith has truely outdone himself. It has the modern day sarcastic humor mixed into Smiths already sarcastic, in your face crude humor. A winning combination I say!!!

Zack and Miri (Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks) are best friends with no money. They work dead end jobs and spend their bill money on frivolous things. After attending their 10 year high school reunion (by watching this I am horribly frightened to attend my own!), they are inspired to do something drastic in order to pay off their bills, and return to a life of electricity and water… MAKE A PORNO!

They team up with some crazy characters during their casting (and by crazy I mean AWESOME!) that include Lester (Jason Mewes), Deacon (Jeff Anderson), Stacey (Katie Morgan) and of course Bubbles (Traci Lords). I mean, what kind of porno movie would this be without Traci Lords!

The thing that I really enjoyed about this movie is that the characters were two people in a real life situation. They have no money, crappy jobs, the economy sucks, and they are down on their luck. Hmmm… I am guessing that more than just myself can relate to this…

One of the most unsuspecting funny men of the movie was Brandon, played by Justin Long. In most Justin Long movies that I have seen, he generally plays a more likable character… In this film he plays a gay porn producer with an emphasis on… you guessed it… gay porn. His character comes completely out of lest field and left me laughing with every word that he spoke!

Seth Rogan was funny, like always. I have been a fan of his since the television show Freaks and Geeks, even though the show lasted the better part of a year! He reaches beyond just the 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up comedy and mixes it nicely with the Kevin Smith style comedy that we all know and love!

I give this film two thumbs up… Go in prepared for your stomach and face to hurt from laughing so hard!

P.S. Jason Mewes gives everyone a special treat at the end… Hey Jason, call me ;-) lol

[rating:5/5]