Film of the Week: Zack And Miri Make A Porno
by Evening Gazette
ALMOST 20 years ago, Rob Reiner’s romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally... posed the age-old question: can men and women truly be friends without sex getting in the way?
Writer-director Kevin Smith considers the same question in this hysterical relationship comedy, which is every bit as filthy-minded and profane as the title suggests. Yet for all the obscenities and perversity, Zack And Miri Make A Porno is incredibly sweet and romantic about two best friends who love one another - but don’t yet realise it.
This is truly a return to sparkling form for Smith - a salacious companion piece to Clerks and Chasing Amy that manages to walk and talk sex without seeming sleazy.
Characters are willing participants in the sauciness, so we laugh with them not at them as they overcome budget restrictions and myriad misfortunes. The screen chemistry between Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks is a key factor as the eponymous childhood pals who can’t afford their utility bills and are months in arrears with the rent.
In a moment of genius masquerading as desperation, Zack hits upon a novel solution and assemble a rag tag film crew including a gun-chewing cameraman (Anderson), impressively proportioned leading man (Mewes) and brazen co-star Bubbles (Lords).
With a surprising yet welcome tenderness and honesty underlying some hilarious gross-out moments, the lovable leads are ably supported by a strong ensemble cast including Justin Long in scene-stealing form. Dialogue is littered with profanities, eliciting guilty chuckles and groans of disgust.
STARRING: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords, Ricky Mabe, Craig Robinson, Katie Morgan, Jeff Anderson, Brandon Routh, Justin Long
DIRECTOR: Kevin Smith
CERTIFICATE: 18 RUNNING TIME: 101mins
REVIEWER’S RATING: 
SHOWING: Cineworld, Showcase, VUE VERDICT: The ending is obvious from the opening frames but the fun comes from trying to work out how Smith will contrive his happy-ever-after, and more importantly, what bodily fluids might be spilt in the process
