Zack and Miri Make A Porno (DVD)

[ThatGuy]

The review is unfortunately spot-on.

Is Zack and Miri Make a Porno the worst movie Kevin Smith has crapped out (word choice intentional)? Probably not (I skipped Jersey Girl altogether), but his raunchy humor and comic book references aren't as fresh-faced as they used to be back in the dizzying days of early '90s indie film.

Actually, yes - Zack and Miri stands as Smith's weakest film to date, in my opinion. Jersey Girl mostly receives hatred because it didn't cater to Smith's normal audience, but it wound up being a fairly decent and somewhat touching romantic comedy. And it was leaps and bounds better than Zack and Miri.

I have all of Smith's films on DVD, but I have been reluctant to pick this one up....the exclusion of a commentary track also hurts those odds, as I was look forward to one despite the lackluster film.

[Movie Mike]

I wouldn't say this film is crap (look at any Dane Cook movie for comparison) but the "let's make a funny porn" element couldn't hide the cliched "long time friends oh my gosh we love each other" plot that we've seen way to many times.

[cdouglas]

I wouldn't say this film is crap (look at any Dane Cook movie for comparison) but the "let's make a funny porn" element couldn't hide the cliched "long time friends oh my gosh we love each other" plot that we've seen way to many times.

Not to mention the tired old, "Let's put on a show in order to save X," plot that we've seen even more often.

I thought the movie had it's moments (and as someone who recently sat through My Best Friend's Girl, I agree that Dane Cook films are far worse), but I did find the film disappointingly juvenile and unimaginative.

[Steve T Power]

Funny - this was actually my favorite Smith film behind Clerks/Clerks II - and i actually spent the vast majority of the runtime laughing. For what it's worth, my wife, who's actually the Smith fan of the household, also loved it.

[Stubblecat]

I think the problem with Zack & Miri is that Kevin smith was once the king of crude-comedies-with-a-heart, and then Judd Apatow and co. step in to make The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Pineapple Express in one huge successful run over 5 years.
So now Smith steps in and makes a film with Apatow and a good half-dozen of his featured players. You can't help but feel like Smith kind of phoned this one in.

For the record: I enjoyed it, but I didn't come out of it feeling like I just saw anything particularly awesome.

[mavrach]

It really does feel like one of the recent "Manly Romantic Comedies" that Seth Rogen's become known for. I didn't even realize this was a Kevin Smith movie when it first came out.

It's interesting that Smith and Rogen both tend to use the same actors over and over again, so with this movie you get what seems like a merging of two acting troupes. But in the end it feels like a Rogen movie and not a Smith one. This is bad for Smith, because it looks like his style has been overtaken, coupled with the fact that he loses his trademarks ike the New Jersey setting and recurring characters.

But in the end, I liked the movie because I like the recent string of improv comedies from Rogen's group. No, it's not high art, or anything particularly innovative. But realize that he's taken one of the dumbest genres out there: the romantic comedy, and made it into something that's watchable by just about anybody.

[Steve T Power]

It really does feel like one of the recent "Manly Romantic Comedies" that Seth Rogen's become known for. I didn't even realize this was a Kevin Smith movie when it first came out.

It's interesting that Smith and Rogen both tend to use the same actors over and over again, so with this movie you get what seems like a merging of two acting troupes. But in the end it feels like a Rogen movie and not a Smith one. This is bad for Smith, because it looks like his style has been overtaken, coupled with the fact that he loses his trademarks ike the New Jersey setting and recurring characters.

But in the end, I liked the movie because I like the recent string of improv comedies from Rogen's group. No, it's not high art, or anything particularly innovative. But realize that he's taken one of the dumbest genres out there: the romantic comedy, and made it into something that's watchable by just about anybody.

Just an observation on my part: I think Seth Rogan has made more cash since Knocked Up than Kevin Smith has in his entire career.