Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Russ: Wrote the booky-wook on shagging

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is a musician. In fact, he's a typically under-achieving musician straight out of casting central.

On the plus side, he's got a gorgeous actress girlfriend in the titular Sarah (Kristin Bell) and a regular gig doing moody incidental music for her smash-hit CSI-lite TV series.

On the downside, it's soul-destroying work, he's a slob and the gorgeous actress girlfriend has just dumped him for British rockstar Aldous Snow (the surprisingly appealing Russel Brand).

Struggling to come to terms with the break-up, he attempts the usual movie thing — lots of athletic humourous sone-night stands — before deciding to exorcise a few ghosts and get some much needed r & r at the Hawaiian destination Sarah always wanted to visit.

On the plus side, this puts him in contact with sexy receptionist Rachel (the charming Mila Kunis). On the downside, he's managed to pick the same week that Sarah and Aldous have chosen to visit.

Cue slapstick embarrassment, crude sexual activity and a predictable romantic outcome: yep, you're back in the world of Judd Apatow.

He's on board here as producer but his influence is obvious from the semi-formula he's got going on, the personnel — Hill's and Rudd's typically excellent cameos — and the fact that, behind the dangling genitals and alleycat morals, there's a genuine heart here. Even if you do have to peer closely to find it.

I mean, who else would demonstrate Peter's sense of closure by his inability to respond to Sarah's attempts at a make-up blowjob?

Sadly, Apatow's presence is also obvious from the running time which, typically, is a good 20 minutes too long. Apatow's recruiting writers and performers wherever he goes.

Why can't he find an editor? In this instance, the overlong running time is far from fatal — you'll laugh, often and loud — but the middle sags considerably, stretching Segel's limited charm to near breaking point, and repeating jokes and situations.

This flab also delays the genuinely hilarious puppet show finale. The quality of that scene has won Segal the scripting duties on the next Muppet film, which bodes well. Provided, of course, they wield some scissors.

3/5

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