I know it’s hard for a lot of people to name their favorite movie of all-time, let alone their top five. I also know that a lot of people’s favorite movies are ever-changing. However, my top five movies have been virtually locked in for over a decade now, and I really don’t think there is any way that they will get toppled. Part of that is due to how long I’ve been able to sit with these films and the fact any new entrants wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to how many times I’ve seen each of these. Part of it, too, is that these films came in at a very developmental point in my life, which makes it hard for anything else to unseat them now that I’m in my thirties1.
During my 300 viewing I will rewatch all five of these films because they are my favorites. I do just about every year anyways; I even rewatch some of them multiple times in the same year. Now, do I think these are the best films of all time? Not necessarily, although I think two of them are and one definitely is the GOAT. But these are mine and I love them dearly. I love reciting lines and remembering why they are special to me and the times they impacted my life the most. So without further adieu: Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
The first time I saw this
The year was 2008, I was a sophomore in high school when this film came out in April, but I did not see it upon its release2. April is a weird release date because while not quite Dumpuary, it is an unnoticed time on the movie calendar (most things don’t start getting push and notice until May/Memorial Day Weekend). When I first actually watched this movie, it was later in the year, probably December of 2008. I was watching some E! special where they counted down their top 20 (?) comedies of the year. Now, this was the year of comedy, because this summer alone there was the immense hype for Tropic Thunder3, Pineapple Express4, and Step Brothers5. I wanted Step Brothers to be the number one pick here because that is probably the hardest I laughed in the theater or at a movie full-stop and non-stop6. It wasn’t and somehow it was also outside the top ten. Then predictably, they had Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder higher - I believe Tropic Thunder was number two. Now, I was confused about what had come out that year that would have been so much better than the critically beloved film that satirized Hollywood and would give RDJ an Oscar nom for his black face? Low and behold, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
I was shocked by this choice because it just seemed like a generic rom-com that was meant to shmooze rather than be actually funny. So, I tracked this film down the only way I knew how: through pirated websites that installed an inconceivable amount of malware on the family computer. I watched it and it was very enjoyable, but I didn’t think it was necessarily better than Step Brothers. But as time went on I thought about it more and more. I asked for it on DVD as a present for some birthday/holiday shortly after. And I lived with it over and over. And what I found out over the years is that while it didn’t have the immediate impact for a lot of people my age, more and more people would slowly see it and it has become one of the comedies for people in my age range.
The staying power
One of the best things about this movie is its true resilience for the last 16 years. Firstly, even though it was made in contemporary times, it’s a fairly timeless film. There’s not a lot of this film that feels outdated, or some tech or plot device that doesn’t hold up because of current technology - everything flows so well. The film knows what it is and doesn’t overcomplicate things like other comedies of the same year and the satirization it takes on is so brief that it doesn’t overpower the movie unlike Tropic Thunder. Also, compared to some of the other Apatow adventures, this aged very well. There are no questionable gay or race jokes that are cringey because this comedy isn’t about that. It’s all pretty self-effacing and about relationships and the hardships of them. No one’s shooting strays at anyone; it’s all just raunchy, funny bits that address the specific characters and the exact situation that they are in. Even the unnecessary nudity is hilarious because it’s just Jason Segel being a large, exposed, vulnerable giant.
The cast
Then there’s the cast. Now, while this launched Russell Brand for a bit for good reason at the time (but feels weird now), the rest of the cast is stellar. Mila Kunis puts on a clinic as does Kristen Bell. For a comedy that centers around a dude’s love life, this film goes out of its way to make the female roles not just side pieces, but the real people that they actually are. I don’t think any two actors could have done it better than these two, bringing so much care and underlying comedy to very different roles. The Paul Rudd surfing bits are phenomenal and some of the most quotable lines. Jonah Hill’s small parts crush it. Bill Hader as the step-strangerbrother coming in via video calls. And of course, the writer and main star Jason Segel. Segel, already a mainstay in HIMYM7 finally got to shed his fairly two dimensional role and star on his own vehicle where he got to spread his wings. And he fucking crushed it. This film allowed him to make his own Muppet Movie. He is so lovable in this and all the interviews and behind the scenes that it makes you want to root for him in everything that he does after this. The entire cast is made of a bunch of upper-mid tier stars that were big but never huge at the time, and none of them really ended up being a problem in the future that makes running this back feel weird (unlike the subsequent bad sequel where three of the main members of the cast did not age well in 2024).
The music
The original songs this film created to fill in the world of Infant Sorrow, the Aldous Snow led band we’re introduced to in the beginning, are so comically bad, but good? It’s one of those things that’s hard to explain where they do such a good job at lampooning a certain style that they actually create good songs in its wake, not unlike Walk Hard. I bet you right now you’re humming “Inside of You”.
The quotes
As I mentioned, of the 2008 comedies, this one seemed to be the quietest film, yet has emerged as a true classic. We rarely talk about Pineapple Express anymore other than a passing memory, and Tropic Thunder really only gets mentioned for its problematic scenes nowadays. Step Brothers is still one of the most quotable movies but right alongside it is this film. There are endless pieces to it that still crack me up this time around. The lampooning of network procedurals, the sex montage, “I’m Samantha”, “You’re doing too much” (fuck, all of the Kunu pieces), “I just went from six to midnight”, “Take my eyes but not my shirt!”, “Oh a wedding in Hawaii, real original!”, “Peter you suck”. God, this movie is riddled with lines that could be its own article in itself. And that, seems to be some of the best staying power in all of culture and history: quotability. When we repeat phrases from songs, books, movies and people get them, we know that they are someone we can have an immediate connection with because they understand a certain aspect of what you are saying.
The real reason
At the end of the day though, this film is just able to reach a broad audience. As my cousin’s now wife once said, “It’s just a rom-com, but geared towards guys.” And she’s not incorrect. It’s about the feeling of being lost after a break-up which everyone can relate to. There’s this hope that we can grow and move on, but when the problem is overwhelming and perpetually in front of you, it cannot be ignored and is very difficult. It shows us the phases of heartbreak, mourning, fake “I’m okay and normal again”, re-break, and then, eventually, solace. And it is that feeling at the end of the movie that makes you feel okay again. And sure, this is about a straight man, but the feelings are so resounding and mutual for anyone who has ever been through love and love lost and just wants to feel whole again.
Why it has stayed with me
As I said before, the first time I saw this I liked it and thought parts of it were fine, but it wasn’t the funniest thing I had seen; yet, it is the one that I thought about the most. It’s just a real, honest movie that happens to be really funny. This film has been there when I don’t know what I want to watch. It has been there through break-ups as comfort. It has been there when I just need a laugh after a shitty day, week, month. This film is a great friend that can cheer you up whenever you need it and don’t have to worry about it saying something wrong or bad. It also needs no (visual) VFX or anything and is shot in one of the most scenic places on this earth. It is here to make you feel good always and knows what you’ve been through. Not many films can say that. Some of the best films cannot accomplish the rewatchability this film has. And for that, it has become one of my favorite films (number five if we’re keeping track) and I don’t think it will ever be moved from that spot. Thank you Jason and Nick.
Studies have shown that your favorite music comes about in your teenage years, it’s probably the same for films and television. Although for me, I feel as if the ever-changing landscape of what television - especially American television - is has made some of my favorite TV come within the past 7-8 years.
Partially because it was rated R, partially because I couldn’t drive, and partially because I only vaguely knew anything about it.
A completely overrated comedy that critics jerked-off to when it came out, but I was right in terms of its actual staying power in the culture.
A movie I thought was gonna be good, but is the stoner, buddy, comedy-action movie that is just a blip in the Seth Rogen saga at this point.
Truly the winner of the three of them that was completely dunked on for no good reason. But the real joke here is that this is one of the most important and influential comedies of the 21st century and still is one of the most quotable and undefeated comedies of its time. Hell, just read the incredible oral history of it.
My cousin and I saw it at the beach when a couple of our parents took us and it may have been one of the best theater experiences I ever had.
A show that really needs some revamped love via several other sitcoms of the era.