MOVIE REVIEW: “Superbad” stars Jonah Hill (Moneyball, 21 Jump Street [2012]), Michael Cera (Juno, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kiss-Ass, How to Train Your Dragon), Bill Hader (It Chapter Two, Inside Out [2015]), Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Martha MacIsaac (The Last House on the Left, The Thaw), Emma Stone (La La Land, Easy A), Aviva Baumann (NCIS [TV series], Black Velvet), Joe Lo Truglio (Brooklyn Nine-Nine [TV series], Role Models), Kevin Corrigan (The Departed [2006], True Romance), and Clement Blake (Showtime, Minority Report [2002]). It is directed by Greg Mottola (The Daytrippers, Adventureland), and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (This Is the End, Sausage Party).

Three high school losers at the end of their senior year try to get in with their crushes when they are asked to pick up alcohol for a party.

Were you allowed to watch “Superbad” when it came out? Of course, I’m speaking to those who were under 17 years of age, like I was in 2007 (I was nine years old). This lowbrow comedy by buddies Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg was always in the back of my parents’ DVD book, begging to be watched. Unfortunately, I was too much of a goodie two-shoes to break the rules and watch it. By the time I became of the age to see it, I simply forgot to return to that DVD book… until now!

I needed a good laugh when I popped this bad boy into my blu-ray player. It’s always good to kick back and relax to a comedy that not only sells the humor, but carries heart. Such is the case with “Superbad,” a story that centers on high school buds Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) who find themselves at the end of their senior year and eager to have a wild last ride, fit with sex, alcohol, and partying. While they embark on a crazy adventure filled with many laughs, it’s their friendship that sells the movie, as they are really two guys who have no idea what life would be like without each other, being that they are going to different colleges after graduation.

Typically, I like to watch the theatrical version of a feature when reviewing it. What’s released to theaters is what is ultimately analyzed by critics, but I unfortunately couldn’t choose an option that wasn’t the unrated cut. Stinkin’ DVD. I have no idea what was added, but boy was this a racey flick. No wonder it made waves in cinema. We’re exposed to penis drawings, high schooler sex fantasies, and plenty of vulgar dialogue that’ll make anyone uncomfortable if they watch it with their parents (whoever has done this, I am perplexed). I certainly had to keep an eye on my unlocked door behind me. Despite this, I had a fun time; sure, I need to be in the mood to watch such a crude flick, but thankfully that’s what I was in.

Rogen and Goldberg know how to get a laugh. They slaved over this script since they were actually high schoolers themselves, making it all the more prevelant and relatable on the screen. Well, at least I would assume. My days in high school were nothing like this, given that I was a clean, straight-arrow teenager who didn’t go to parties. Still, I could relate to the feeling of being a loser; an outsider to the cool kids that host all the rad shindigs and whatnot (geez, that sentence). Watching Jonah Hill and Michael Cera navigate this wild path was hilarious. I felt more connected to Cera than any of the characters, but it’s Fogell aka McLovin (Mintz-Plasse) who stole the show.

Man dude. McLovin is one of the greatest characters in film history. Sorry not sorry. Mintz-Plasse did a killer job bringing this dweeb to life, and his storyline with the worst cops in history (played by Rogen and Bill Hader) was amazing. Such a crazy yet epic counterbalance to Seth and Evan’s dilemma. When the two storylines intersect, things get dicey in all the right ways. Really, it’s a tight story structure, with not many dull moments (if any). The characters can be over-the-top, but they always seem to ground themselves in the theme of change in friendship.

Greg Mottola directed this picture, having helmed “The Daytrippers” before it and “Adventureland” after. Out of the three of these, I would say that “Superbad” cuts it close to his directorial debut, if not besting it. His direction seems more realized in this, shooting the stupid narrative in such a filmic way that it makes it all the more palattable. I got more of a kick out of this one too, mind you. But I didn’t expect anything less from a balls-to-the-wall comedy.

“Superbad” is everything you’d expect it to be. Other films have tried to copy its success, with plenty of stories with crude teens having followed after it. This one set the precedence, and has held up after all these years. It not only made for a funny, pervasive ride, but also introduced us to quite a few talented, young actors who would go on to have successful careers (Emma Stone being one of them). If you are of age and like comedies, this one is a no-brainer. FINAL SCORE: 87%= Juicy Popcorn

Here is the trailer: