Zack and Miri make a Porno Movie Blurb by Shale November 1, 2008 Yesterday I went to see a serious flick, Changeling. Today I had dessert, seeing this very funny romantic comedy. OK, altho it is a formulaic movie, the subject of porn takes your mind off the obvious formula of disparate-couple-fall-in-love-have-conflict-get-together-before-two-hours-are-up. Note: This Movie Blurb is Rated R - for Adult Themes and Explicit Vulgar Language Gotta say right off that the opening of this movie in a cold and snowy Pittsburgh brought back memories of my winter there with Jim in 1974, when we were the age of the characters in this movie and lived in a flat on Howe Street, sharing it with another couple. It was that winter that convinced me to stay in Florida ever since. The premise is that Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are best friends since grade school, live together as roommates and tho both work, somehow their irresponsible impulse buying has them unable to make necessary bill payments. After their lights and water are turned off and rent is due they come to the conclusion that they can get extra money by making a porn video. Was that too fast? Ok, lets back up a bit. Zack and Miri go to their high school reunion amid all this poverty and utilities black out. There they meet Miri's old crush Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) whom she throws herself at before finding out he is gay (we wish). Meantime, Zack strikes up a conversation with Bobby's partner Brandon (Justin Long - keep wishing) and finds out they are making big bucks as gay porn stars. Naturally that gives Zack the idea that anybody can do a porn flick. So, with funding from his coworker at the coffee shop (Craig Robinson) they get a video camera and audition for a cast. Miri and Zack Audition Actors From the beginning both Zack and Miri had planned to participate in the porn video and even tho they both had casual sex with others, neither could admit that it was a problem for them to do each other. They do go thru with the sex scene, awkwardly. Shooting the Zack and Miri Action Scene Afterward, there are hurt feelings on both sides but eventually Zack and Miri come together. That wasn't a spoiler - it's in the formula - read the label. I liked this movie. It was quite funny with most of the lines delivered by Rogen. However, I'm afraid he wouldn't do anything for me in a porn video. Altho the strippers and porn stars enlisted to do the film are typical caricatures, by the end of the movie we come to see them as real people and friends. I have known porn actors and a few prostitutes and they really are no different than anyone else, just got a more interesting job than most. That was part of the fun of this movie, watching a supposed garage porn production with amateurs coming up with ideas for a porn parody called Star Whores and matter-of-factly doing their thing on camera. There was nudity, T &A shots and poorly simulated sex but no real porno money shots. There was one full frontal of Jason Mewes but just walking thru the room - nothing erotic. This movie almost garnered an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. To explain my feelings about this is an excerpt from Dan Hudak's review in The SunPost of Oct. 30th: "A quick word on the censorship the movie has endured. At a time when the MPAA would never think to give uber-violent porn like Hostel an NC-17 rating for blood squirting, horrible acts against humanity, Zack and Miri was twice slapped with an NC-17 rating for sexually explicit material before Smith successfully appealed for an "R." Hudak also mentioned that billboards, posters and print ads were not displayed because of the word "porno" on them. The stodgy Miami Herald was one that left "Make a Porno" out of its print ads - while the free weeklies ran with the full title and more racy reviews that included dialogue from the movie such as Zack reasoning that "Everybody wants to see anybody fuck." I know the hypocritical MPAA and censorial editors would not agree but most of us know that there are worse things to see.
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how much Elizabeth Banks looks like a young Jane Fonda? All thru Zack and Miri Make a Porno I kept thinking this. Could just be the hair style which looked similar, but the hair framing the eyes looked spot on like Jane. Elizabeth Banks at 34 (in Zack & Miri - 2008) Jane Fonda at 31 (In Barbarella - 1968)
Yep. But nothing sexual and not even in the context of filming the porno. He just walks past Zack in the apartment naked (except for weird tats all over his bod), pretty much just a nudist moment and not warranting anything more than an R rating.
I loved this movie. I saw it with a group of girlfriends, and we all thought it was hysterical. Possibly not quite as good as those of its kin such as Superbad, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, but still definately worth seeing!
Last night I saw a similar themed movie The Amateurs with Jeff Bridges, which made me come back to revisit this blurb. Jeff's character is in a small town where everyone is known. He is has attitude problems and can't keep a job, his wife leaves him and takes the kid. He is a constant schemer and comes up with the idea that making a porn movie could pay off. He inlists all his guy friends and it pretty much follows the Zack & Miri plot of problems that come when a bunch of amateurs get into something they know nothing about. I enjoyed this movie as well, tho it did not come close to the nudity shown in Zack & Miri.
