Viking Restaurant

Meet Judd Apatow

He's the creator of what is perhaps my favorite television show ever "Freaks and Geeks," and he is the writer and director of quite possibly the two funniest movies of the past five years, "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" and the newly released "Knocked Up." I wont hesitate to declare that he is the best comedic writer in films today and that the burgeoning success of him and his posse of collaborators is the most exciting thing to happen to movies in recent memory. There are really no new praises I could heap on him since every film critic in the country has already said as many nice things as could be said. But I did just want to take a second and blog about why this guy and his new film have inspired me so much this weekend.

"Knocked Up" is ultimately a movie about how things work out when they dont work out like you planned. This is the first movie that Apatow has written and directed solely by himself (40 Year-Old Virgin was co-written by Steve Carrell) and Apatow has admitted in interviews that he chose to go this route because of how "personal" the project was. Now I dont know much about Apatow's personal life, but all you have to do is look at his career to see why a movie about things not working out as planned might relate to his life. The guy is a brilliant writer, one of the most brilliant I have ever come across in movies, but he is just now, at 39 years of age, beginning to experience what can be called unqualified success. Seven years ago he almost tasted this kind of success when his TV series "Freaks and Geeks" was picked up by a major network, but the show was cancelled after one season containing a mere 18 episodes. Then he was given another chance to create another show "Undeclared" but that was cancelled after 17 episodes. Why were these shows cancelled? Literally, they were just too good. I was introduced to "Freaks and Geeks" almost three years ago and I guarantee you that you wont find a better season of television anywhere. If I could go back in time and change things I would make sure that "Freaks and Geeks" lasted another 15 seasons like "The Simpsons" because its just that good.

But you cant go back in time and change things, and sometimes thats a good thing, as Apatow so truthfully points out by the end of "Knocked Up." There is even some beautiful banter around a dinner table discussing the possibility of going back in time with Doc Brown in the Delorian much to the chagrin of the females at the table who have never even heard of Doc Brown, but Apatow makes his message clear by the credits that going back and changing even the worst of our mistakes could turn out to be the dumbest thing we could ever do. I needed to hear this message this weekend, and Im thankful to have heard it from a movie so hilarious that it made my sides hurt.

Just as the characters in Apatow's new film end up grateful that things didnt work out as planned, Im guessing that Apatow must be feeling the same way at least to a certain degree. His TV shows flopped even though they were strokes of pure genius, but as a result he and some of the people he has picked up along the way (including his wife and two young daughters who all appear in prominent, immensely enjoyable roles in his new film) all seem to be catapulting to levels of success I bet they never anticipated. The best example of this is "Knocked Up's" star Seth Rogen who was discovered as a teenager by Apatow and was cast in a supporting role in "Freaks and Geeks." By the age of 25, Rogen is now writing and starring in his own films, and he is considered to be a major up and coming comedic male lead. Who wouldve thunk it? And Apatow himself could probably get any idea he wants greenlit by a major studio. And all I have to say to that is more power to them all. Im watching these careers with great interest, because I know that Apatow, Rogen, and everyboy else in that crew have a lot more genius to throw our way.

So long story short....go see "Knocked Up" and then go out and buy "Freaks and Geeks" and watch the whole season....and if you still have money get a hold of "Undeclared" and "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" and anything else with Apatow's name on it. You wont be disappointed.

Posted by todd at June 3, 2007 11:21 PM