Knocked Up

A few weeks ago, one of my female students was excited about turning seventeen and being able to rent R films, so she yelled to her friend: "Hey Cady, we can go get knocked up!" Ah, funny stuff.

Judd Aptow, who brought us The 40-Year-Old Virgin, spins another tale of gross sex jokes that touches our heart. Seth Rogen plays Ben Stone, a total loser who goes out one night and ends up in bed with Alison Scott, played by Katherine Heigl. Certain birth control procedures are overlooked, and Alison ends up getting pregnant. It was a one-night stand, so Ben has no idea. When Alison finds out, she contacts him and they try to figure out where to do from there. Ben must decide whether he will grow up, be a man and take responsibility for his actions, or if he will continue down his promising life path (smoking weed every night, starting an internet porn business, and living off a Canadian government check sent because a mailman ran over his foot). Alison has to decide if she wants to keep the baby at all (her family members encourage her to just "take care of it;" euphamisms point out that fact that they are too appalled by their own suggestion to say "abortion"). She must also decide if she thinks Ben is going to be a guy worth keeping around for her child. The characters in the film are faced with some major choices.

This film is over the top in its dialogue, so be forewarned. It is as vulgar as is humanly possible. It is not for everyone, or for that matter it is not for hardly anyone. Yet, that's the way guys talk sometimes when women aren't present (sad but true). But out of this horribly disturbing dialogue comes this tender, beautiful, and true to life film. Knocked Up captures human relationships (especially between a man and a woman) SO much better than any "chick flick" I have ever seen. It dives right in to the struggles that married people face (there is this great scene in which Alison's sister thinks her husband is out cheating on her, but he is really at a fantasy baseball draft). The insight Aptow has into the way we treat each other, into the way real relationships generally go, is astounding. It is so refreshing to see a Hollywood movie be honest for once about sex, about marriage, and about having a child. What does it or should it look like to be a mother or father, a husband or wife, and still be yourself? How do we love others while battling our overwhelming desire to be selfish? How do we invest in others and keep our own personality? All good questions. Just remember, being honest also means that we may be uncomfortable at times.

I was pleasantly suprised by Knocked Up. This is a very good movie. It is not for everyone, and you may want to be careful who you watch it with, but there is incredible depth to the insight put forth here. Plus, it just flat-out hilarious. And the film does not glorify any sinful behaviors. It shows how ridiculous people are sometimes. It also reminds us that the decisions we make have consequences, even if we are drunk when we make them. To be honest, the film is so raw and real that it makes us very uncomfortable, and sometimes that is what we need.