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‘Sex Tape’ a Satisfying Comedy

Sex_Tape_(film)“Sex Tape” is pretty much what “The Wolf of Wall Street” would be on Casual Friday’s. The drugs, sex and language are all still present, just at a much more toned down level.

Cameron Diaz and Jason Segal star as a married couple who haven’t had as much personal time as they would like due to their two kids. So one day, in an effort to spice things up, Diaz suggests the duo makes a…sex tape! [cue applause for most inventive movie title ever] However when the tape is uploaded to the internet, they set out to destroy every copy. Jake Kasdan, who directed Diaz and Segal in “Bad Teacher”, directs here.

I went into this film hoping for the best but expecting the worst. While Jason Segal is always a likable presence, the last time he, Diaz and Kasdan teamed up was “Bad Teacher”, which was should have been entitled “Bad Movie” (ok, that one was a lob down the middle of the plate). But, to my surprise, I walked out of “Sex Tape” with a smile on my face.

Segal and Diaz have very solid chemistry together and that is obviously crucial in a comedy. They have some good back-and-forth, including several fantastic one-liners from Segal. Every supporting character lends a hand and has great give-and-take, too.

Rob Corddry and Ellie Kemper play another married couple and they have one of the best jokes in the whole film. The real show stealer, however, is Rob Lowe, who plays Diaz’s boss. In a role that breaks his normal mold, Lowe seems to be having a ball, and it’s a shame he only received 15 minutes of screen time.

What holds “Sex Tape” back, and what some people may not be able to overlook, is the script. While there are moments of true inspired comedy gems, there are also some forced jokes, and other juvenile ones that feel like they belong in an Adam Sander film. The tone sometimes shifts rapidly, too. This is probably due to there being three screenwriters credited; Segal, his writing partner Nicholas Stoller and Kate Angelo. One can assume Segal and Stoller did rewrites on Angelo’s earlier script, which would explain the sometimes messy storyline.

The film is also pretty tame, considering its plot and title. Save for an opening montage, the movie really never fully utilizes its R rating, which makes one wonder why they chose to play it so safe?

In a lot of ways, “Sex Tape” is like last year’s “We’re the Millers”; multiple screenwriters make for an uneven and bumpy trip, but you are willing to overlook most of the flaws because you are having such an enjoyable time. Plus it features a lead actress who proves that she is still very attractive, err talented. You know, at acting.

“Sex Tape” may not be for everyone, but I found it had enough laughs to warrant a viewing, and an entertaining one at that. In a summer of poor comedies (“Tammy”) and great comedies (“22 Jump Street” and “Transformers 4”), “Sex Tape” falls somewhere in the middle. If you can turn your brain off and just watch it for its entertainment value, then Segal and Diaz deliver the goods. (Upon rereading that last line, it sounded much dirtier than I intended and I apologize…)

Critics Rating: 6/10

‘Neighbors’ a Fun Watch

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neighborsImagine the Farrelly Brothers directed “Animal House”. The outcome would be something very similar to “Neighbors”. Directed by “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” director Nicholas Stoller, the film stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as new parents whose life is turned upside down when a fraternity, led by Zac Efron and Dave Franco, moves in next door.

Seth Rogen was placed on Hollywood’s comedy radar when he exploded onto the scene in 2007 with “Knocked Up” and “Superbad”. Since then, he has made films that have been revered as some of the funniest films of the past decade, like “Pineapple Express” and “This Is the End”. It can be argued that he has never made a bad film, and certainly never something as lazy as most Adam Sandler movies. And the fact that “Neighbors” is not one of Rogen’s funniest films, but is still a solid film, says a lot.

In the very first scene of “Neighbors”, you know exactly what kind of movie you’re in store for. The film opens up with Rogen and Byrne awkwardly trying to get intimate in front of their newborn baby (yeah, the movie is set in a world where Seth Rogen can get a girl like Rose Byrne). The film has its share of gross out gags, and fair share of genitalia jokes, but it knows exactly where to end the joke and never overdoes it, like so many wannabe raunchy movies try to do.

The best part of “Neighbors”, a film featuring established comedy stars like Rogen, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Hannibal Buress, is Zac Efron. For some reason, some people don’t like Efron. They say he’s just a pretty boy or a Disney Kid, or are just plain jealous (I mean, just look at the guy). But Efron may have just found his new niche, because he is perfectly cast as Teddy, the leader of the Delta Psi fraternity. Seamlessly blending cool nice guy with jerk, Efron steals every scene he is in, and possibly part of what makes his role so great is seeing the star of “High School Musical” dropping f-bombs and smoking joints.

What holds “Neighbors” back from the levels of Rogen’s other films is the amount of jokes in the film. While there are a lot of moments with clever gags or funny one-liners, there are sometimes five to ten minute segments where you won’t laugh; either a joke falls flat or there just doesn’t even seem to be one attempted. “Ted” had a similar issue; the film is never boring, it just may not be as funny as it thinks or hopes it is.

Editors don’t get enough credit from the normal filmgoer, so I’ll give Zene Baker, the editor of “Neighbors”, major props. The film is very well paced; its 96 minutes and but never feels rushed, and there are a few fun transition shots.

“Neighbors” isn’t the funniest film Seth Rogen has ever made, but it is still very entertaining. Zac Efron may have broken out of his shell and the rest of the supporting cast each lend something special. The film has its share of heart, too. I guess you could say the film is neat, tight and easy to watch; just like Zac Efron’s torso.

Critics Rating: 7/10