ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
USA, 2008
Running Length:
101 minutes
Cast: Elizabeth Banks,
Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Brandon Routh, Traci Lords, Katie
Morgan
Director: Kevin Smith
Screenplay: Kevin
Smith
Cinematography: David
Klein
When this film was released it
caused quite a stir. Some cinemas
refused to advertise it because of the word ‘porno’ in the title; some cinemas
refused to screen it, thinking it was an attempt to slide something smutty onto
otherwise pristine screens. Which
is stupid, because despite the title, very little sex is ever shown on screen.
Zack and Miri are roommates and
they’re broke. After a video a
friend makes of them goes viral in the Netherlands, they decide to try and make
a little cash from their fifteen minutes of fame and make a porno flick. If it’s successful, they might be able
to did themselves out of the financial hole they’re in. Or at least get the power turned back
on.
They recruit a few friends to help
them out, and get to work. But
before they can shoot anything, the pair have to get over the fact they’re
actually going to have to have sex.
Up until now, their friendship has been purely platonic and they’re both
nervous that sex will screw that up.
Although of course, coming from the pen of Kevin Smith, there are far
more swear words used in the conveying of this sentiment.
In fact, this has to be one the
most cuss-heavy films I’ve ever seen.
I doubt many sentences get through without at least one off color
word. Which isn’t something that
bothers me, and frankly, anyone who would be bothered by it probably wouldn’t
go to see a film with this title.
So it’s really not worth commenting on. But there we are…
Kevin Smith is a great writer and,
even harder, a great comedy writer.
This film sails along at a great pace, with laughs scattered liberally
along the way. Elizabeth Banks and
Seth Rogen are affable leads and you find yourself really rooting for their
plan to work out. In most
comedies, you’re lucky if half the jokes hit the mark, but in this one, the
percentage is way higher.
Which is why the final third feels
like something of a letdown. It’s
the part where the romantic part of the romantic comedy comes into play, and it
doesn’t entirely work. It’s nice
that Zack and Miri realize that they’ve been in love all along, but it’s such a
predictable ending that it almost feels like cheating. But given how much riotous
entertainment has come before it, we’ll forgive Mr. Smith. This time.