Despite yesterday being Halloween, I absolutely had to go see Zack and Miri Make a Porno. From the moment I heard "Seth Rogen in a Kevin Smith movie" I was smitten.
Long story short, I loved the film. I would go as far to say that it's Kevin Smith's most heartfelt film, even moreso than Chasing Amy. It also happens to be his dirtiest film--everyone's used to lots of sex talk in his films, but now we have pretty graphic sex scenes to go with the talk. I'm amazed he appealed it down to an R--I think it probably should have been NC-17.
The trailers for the film make it seem like all humor no heart, which becomes a nice suprise when you see the film and it is just so goddamn cute. Yes, a cute Kevin Smith movie. Like take your girlfriend to go see cute. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks have amazing on-screen chemistry, just like the old friends they play in the film and their relationship seems totally realistic. And the supporting players--Smith regulars Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson, along with Craig Robinson from "The Office" and real porn stars Katie Morgan and Traci Lords, provide the usual, fantastic supporting cast you'd see in a Kevin Smith film.
There are definitely a couple of moments that border on pure, conventional cheese, but only a couple. But, there are two scenes in the film that totally elevate it. Spoilers in the black. Zack and Miri finally do make a porno in the film, but as Zack says "they meant to fuck and ended up making love." The sex scene between the two on camera is the most genuinely sweet I've ever seen. It doesn't feel at all as something forced, more like you're intruding on something you shouldn't be watching. The awkward fumbling, the nervousness, the excitement--it feels so real it'll stop you in your tracks. It was also nice to see a legitimately hot sex scene between two actors that aren't drop dead goregous. The other great scene is the day after the sex, when Katie Morgan asks Miri if she can hook up with Zack at a party. Miri reluctantly says yes, and the wordless exchange of looks between Zack and Miri as Zack makes his way to the bedroom without Miri is phenomenal. It didn't hurt that Kevin Smith set the scene to "Hey" by the Pixies.
The film's been getting average reviews, but I think it's much better than that. I really want to see it again, if not only for the ginormous crush I have on Seth Rogen, made all the worse by the character of Zack. Besides Clerks, this is easily my favorite Kevin Smith movie.
Halloween, which ended up on a reality check, was not the best ever. I'll have pictures and stories tomorrow.
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