A sleeper smash Stateside and presented as such over here, Knocked Up got a few grumbles from UK journos either hacked off with being pre-sold the story of “the little movie that could” or, like Libby Brooks in The Guardian, appalled by “the longest pro-life propaganda movie ever to make it into the mainstream.” The former point’s pointless (don’t judge the marketing; judge the movie), the latter absurd: as if the film should apologise for recognising that some mothers decide to keep their babies. It’s a screwball rom-com about dumb relationships and the pain and joy of pregnancy and parenthood; not Vera Drake II: Mission Aborted.
The film is just as ragged and wonderful as it was in theatres, though cut a little more slack in this extended version (more gags and character beats). What’s essential to its success is a sense of truth. While American Pie-alikes concoct ever more outrageous scenarios for yanking laughs, Apatow takes life and leaves the filter off. Think Rogen’s a foul-mouthed arsehole and Katherine Heigl’s a high-maintenance hormone bomb? Well, look in the mirror, or at who you’re in love with; they’re right there. Nothing about Knocked Up feels faked. Right down to the finale’s ‘crowning’ glory.
DVD Extras:
Commentary
Deleted scenes
Featurettes
Audition footage
Gag reels
Writer/director Judd Apatow and star Seth Rogen largely sidestep the controversy on their raucous chat-track, though Rogen slyly notes that no one asks the cast of Ocean’s 13 if they are “pro robbery”. The rest of the extras are superb and not just because Apatow’s improv-heavy process gifts a lot of gag reels and deleted/extended scenes. There’s been a huge amount of energy expended in creating docs that mock the production, with Larry David-like levels of self-referential self-loathing. Directing The Director sells the notion that Capote’s Bennett Miller was drafted in during shooting to keep Apatow in check, while Finding Ben Stone tracks the apparently arduous process of casting the lead schlub – with Superbad’s Michael Cera, James Franco and Orlando Bloom all hired and fired before Rogen signed on.
