A recent New York Times Magazine profile of writer-director-producer Judd Apatow contained this intriguing assertion:
Both of the films Apatow has directed offer up the kind of conservative morals the Family Research Council might embrace -- if the humor weren't so filthy.
As the (unofficial) movie critic for FRC I decided to put that claim to the test by screening Apatow's latest film. My (unofficial) verdict:
Knocked Up offers up the kind of conservative morals the Family Research Council might embrace -- if the humor weren't so filthy.
The story centers around the relationship between Ben Stone, a schlubby unemployed stoner, who meets rising TV personality Alison Scott in a bar. After getting drunk the pair stumble into an awkward one night stand. Eight weeks later, Ben is shocked when Alison meets him and reveals that she is pregnant. Despite having little in common, the two decide that they have to at least try to make some kind of relationship work for the baby's sake.
It's that twist that makes Knocked Up one of the most pro-life, pro-family film I've seen in years -- and that’s including the sanctified schlock that passes for "Christian" films. Unfortunately, it is also the filthiest family-oriented film I've ever seen: the film uses more F-words than John McCain in a cameo on The Sopranos; the nudity ranges from gratuitous to just plain gross (Seth Rogen's backside); and the marijuana haze is thick enough to choke Cheech and Chong.
In summary: This is a family movie that I can't recommend for families.
Still, while the ends can't justify the means, it is worthy wading through the crudity to examine the message being presented.
One of the most striking aspects of the film is the use of language. Throughout the film, the obscenities flow freely, yet there is one word too obscene even for these foul-mouthed characters: abortion. When Ben tells his roommates about the pregnancy his buddy Jonah suggests that Alison get a procedure that, he says, "rhymes with 'shmashmortion'." He's quickly condemned as a "monster" by another roommate for even suggesting such an inhuman action.
The only other person to hint that Alison should kill the child is her horrible mother who tells her to wait till she's ready to have a "real baby." As Ross Douthat observes, "Knocked Up is almost naively pro-life: Of course Alison decided to 'keep' the baby, the script suggests, because killing it would be terribly and obviously wrong, and she's not a bad person."
Another old-fashioned value supported by the film is marriage. Allison's sister Debbie (Apatow's own remarkable wife Leslie Mann) and brother-in-law Pete (the understated Paul Rudd) got married because they got "knocked up" and…well, that's just what people do, so the movie implies, when they find themselves with child.
As Allison and Ben attempt to reconcile their imperfections (well, Ben's imperfections) with that ideal, Debbie and Pete reveal how the ideal isn't always so ideal. (Apatow, Mann, and Rudd deserve praise for making this sub-plot compelling enough to be its own movie.) In fact, the character of Pete reveals the key to understanding the movie.
When Ben and Allison drunkenly stumble into bed together, he blurts an epiphanic understatement: "You’re prettier than I am." Indeed, Allison is not only prettier, she's smarter, and nicer, and cleaner, and…so far out of Ben's league that it makes it nearly impossible to suspend disbelief when she confesses her love. Sure, women like losers. But unless Allison has been drained of self-respect and self-esteem, there is no way she could fall in love with such an absolute and total loser.
But a scene later in the second half of the film puts the bizarre romance in perspective. After tiffs with their women, Ben and Paul flee to Las Vegas where they binge on hallucinogenic mushrooms and watch Cirque de Soleil. In his drug-induced stupor Paul has a moment of clarity, admitting that his wife's desire to always be in his presence scares him to death: "I don't think I can accept pure love."
Pure love, Apatow seems to be saying, is what comes with having a family. And we men don't deserve it. While we may not be flat-busted, overweight, unemployed stoners, when it comes to pure love we aren't any more worthy than Ben. We don’t deserve anything so wonderful as a wife much less the miracle of a baby. So if by some stroke of fate/luck/providence we find these blessings in our life we must to do whatever it takes to keep them. We may be losers but we don't have to be fools.
Knocked Up definitely isn't a film I can embrace. The humor is indeed too filthy. But any film that has such a powerful pro-family message deserves at least a pat on the back.
http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/mt/mt-trackback.cgi/3653
1
I watch the trailer a couple of months ago and came to similar conclusions. It's difficult to sort out the morality from the immorality. Something to consider is whether this is really morality or just the pretense of a writer who knows how to bait the (potential) viewer with finely-honed skill.
Desperate Housewives did something similar in their first season with an episode on forgiveness. The message of the show was clear at the end with Mary Alice's monologue at the end of the show, and it's good material for sermon illustration video clips. But I had to wade through the rest to get to that point.
That's Hollywood.
Collin
posted on 06.05.2007 8:49 AMhttp://evangelicalperspective.blogspot.com
2
"Women like losers?"
Where exactly are these women? I've been looking for one of those for 40 years.
posted on 06.05.2007 9:28 AM3
It seems like it's just another movie about women written by immature men. Of course nobody in the movie thinks abortion is an option - Judd Apatow's never going to need an abortion. His take on abortion is identical with his take on loser guys who score with hot chicks: delusional and self-congratulatory.
Nothing to see here . . . just another decision about women's bodies made by men who don't take women's decisions seriously . . . move along, folks.
posted on 06.05.2007 11:03 AM4
It seems like it's just another movie about women written by immature men.
Nice twist on an old canard there. "If you think abortion is murder you're.....immature". Agreed, dude... an emotional woman under the stress of a drastic life change brought on by an unplanned for baby is a far better arbiter of who should live and who should die than any man would ever be.
May cooler heads not prevail!
posted on 06.05.2007 1:49 PM5
JJ, you must have forgotten how very, very wise KTK is, exactly. It is a fact, in case you hadn't heard, that every woman, mature or immature supports abortion. Come on man, get your head in the game!
We know that if this movie had been written by a 40-ish aged female who had done a stint on Saturday Night Live, he would have been far, far more open to the message of the movie. Because he is one balanced and reasoned individual.
But really, just move on, nothing to see here, TRUST ME.
posted on 06.05.2007 2:06 PM6
I watched the movie last night and was very surprised by the pro-life message in the movie.
I was expecting laughs and got them. So if you're looking for a comedy, the movie delivers.
There were also several scenes in the movie where closing your eyes is the best option. Perhaps this is what the director was going for? For example, towards the end of the movie we get to see the baby being born in very graphic detail. My wife and I have had four children and ive steadfastly kept my attention up at her face throughout the entire delivery and told her I refuse to go south during the event. So ive been blessed to miss such a view in real life and had to catch it on film. One of the actors in the movie puts words to my feelings when he says, "I shouldn't have gone in there."
In the end, I thought this was a film that was meant to appeal to both guys and girls. For the guys there are all the digusting type fart jokes that most guys love, and for the girls, well, there's a bunch of girlie stuff.
It was a very good film but definately not for families.
posted on 06.05.2007 4:48 PM7
Your review was right on (after talking to our youth pastor who saw it this past weekend), I linked to it today. I am going to Evan Almighty tonight. It is one of those pastor advanced screenings. Ever since Gibson's Passion, the movie companies are certainly engaging in a full court press toward the church.
posted on 06.05.2007 4:53 PM8
Was it not that long ago that the "in" Christian Family Values movie was the sadistic, bloody, and brutal film The Passion?
If the choice is between The Passion and Knocked Up, personally I think a film full of pee-pee jokes is much more wholesome.
posted on 06.05.2007 4:53 PM9
Collin has a great point. Is the writer setting "bait" disguised as a pro-family message? If it's really "pro-family", shouldn't you be able to take a family to it? Does it really have to be so graphic and offensive in places that you can't take your family to a "pro-family" movie?
Hollywood knows that "family-friendly" films is a popular buzzword and that Christians are looking for things that are "family-friendly" to support.
So if I were the maker of a $33million movie and wanted an audience there, I'd probably try to make something that people would identify as a powerful pro-family film.
As far as "sanctified schlock" goes, that's everywhere. It's not limited to Christian filmmakers. There are some Christians making really good films. What could the producers of a film like Mercy Streets do with a budget of $33 million?
As far as Hollywood and their attempts to connect with Christians, do we always have to slog through the muck to get to the good stuff? Why not encourage the Christian filmmakers - help them grow - help them find an audience - and then you can have good films without an over-abundance of muck to get through?
posted on 06.06.2007 12:50 PM10
I wish Christians would stop making so much hay out of "moral issues" in culture when the culture is obviously trying to make an effort to support something very good. Why would we expect these guys to make a squeaky clean movie by Evangelical Standards? Who would watch such a movie? These are people firmly inplanted in thier culture who are going to express themselves culturally. Why would we expect anything less? Sure, our kids probably shouldn't watch the film, but why can't Christians heartily reccomend it to thier friends and neighbors due to its underlying message. Just think of the wonderful conversations you could have with your non-Christian neighbor after watching such a film. Let's get our heads out of the sand people!
posted on 06.07.2007 10:28 AM11
Both Knocked Up and 40YOV share the same inherent dissonance: that a movie could be simultaneously heartwarming and filthy.
I liken it to the cinematic equivalent of a sour patch kid: underneath the crudeness and raw comedy is a very sweet story.
posted on 06.07.2007 4:32 PM12
Joe, I agree. Most xians are not going to make it through the excessive profanity, innuendo, sex scences, and bawdy guy sex talk and jokes.
I really enjoyed this film, but can't recommend it to many because the good morals are buried under what is unfortunately the reality of modern American life.
But this was also a good buddy film. It made me remember with fondness by BC days smoking dope, and made me wanna get some good friends and get a few beers.
It reminded me a lot of the much more decent and almost as well written Tao of Steve.
posted on 06.12.2007 2:20 AM13
Anybody ever consider maybe this film is not targeted at /Christian/ families? As others have said, the morals are embedded within a popular culture framework. Maybe this is a sneaky method of getting past anti-Christian filters built into many liberals.
Of course, I haven't seen the show, so what do I know?
posted on 06.14.2007 5:34 AM14
i really enjoyed the film. i laughed my ass off but didn't realize how strong the pro life message was until after i got home.
but what would the movie be without alison having the baby? if she had an abortion, the movie would be over. no plot.
now i support choice but i am not completely against having a child in an unexpected pregnancy. i just wish people weren't talking about having wonderful conversations with their non-christian friends.
what - muslims or jews or an individual of some other religion besides the "great and all powerful christianity" don't have their own values and ways of life?
i don't respect christian domination.
well anywho. great movie. very funny. and no, it is not a family movie. find your family values elsewhere.
posted on 06.15.2007 1:54 AM