When it comes to vulgar comedies that define a generation, then Superbad is, as several reviews proudly state, the GOAT of vulgar comedies and the instigator of dozens of terrible imitators and pretenders to the throne. Now, the movie that really blasted Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Emma Stone and Michael Cera to stardom has had a resurgence on Hulu almost 20 years after its original release.
A coming-of-age buddy movie released in 2007, Superbad is now perfectly poised to appeal to those who were conceived and born around the time it hit cinemas the first time around. It seems that the film has certainly been given a boost from somewhere as it rocketed past many newer movies, to take the number two spot, just behind grotesque body horror Together, which is still clinging onto the number one position.
What is the story of Superbad? The synopsis reads, “High school seniors Seth and Evan have high hopes for a graduation party. The co-dependent teens plan to score booze and babes so they can become part of the in-crowd, but separation anxiety and two bored police officers complicate the pair’s self-proclaimed mission.”
Clocking in at just under two hours, Superbad is longer than many other comedies of the time, but also one of the best. Scoring respective 88% and 87% scores from critics and audiences, the film was not only a hit in its reviews, but also turned a $17 million budget into a $170 million box office, making it the 33rd highest grossing move of 2007.
‘Superbad’ Is a Comedy That Still Resonates with Audiences
The Rotten Tomatoes consensus on Superbad calls an incredible balance of “vulgarity and sincerity,” which probably is down to it being mostly based on real-life events experienced by Rogen and co-writer Evan Goldberg in their teenage years. When looking up reviews of movies like Superbad, there is a tendency for critics to feel such adolescent humor to be beneath them. That is most certainly not the case here.
In a 2020 appraisal of the film by Mike Massie from Gone With The Twins, he wrote, “The oftentimes outrageous dialogue and vulgar exchanges between stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill are both wildly hilarious and genuinely portrayed.” CCN called it “more emotionally nuanced than you would expect,” while The Guardian‘s Peter Bradshw said:
“It’s pretty cress and pretty silly, but only a puritanical grump would deny it’s funny.”
Audiences shared the same sentiments. With the generic and all-encompassing favorites like “funniest movie ever probably,” and “absolute cinema,” there are some who wanted to spend a little more time expressing themselves. One review by Geovanny T points out the film as a “great movie to make you believe in yourself regardless of all the flaws you see in yourself, to just be yourself and never question it.”
Whether you have been jaded by the many imitators that followed in the wake of Superbad, or just feel like you don’t like this kind of comedy, it shouldn’t stop anyone from dropping in on the Superbad gang to remember why it remains one of the best comedies of the noughties.
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