MOVIE OF THE WEEK (6/29/12): TED
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth McFarlane, Giovanni Ribisi, Sam Jones, Jessica Stroup, Joel McHale, Patrick Warburton and Patrick Stewart
WRITER(S): Seth McFarlane, Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild
DIRECTOR: Seth McFarlane
WEB SITE: www.tedisreal.com
THE PLOT: The first live action feature film from Family Guy/American Dad!/Cleveland Show magnate Seth McFarlane, Ted stars Mark Wahlberg as John Bennett, a 35 year-old suburban Bostonite who lives with his girlfriend Lori (Milas Kunis). Dating for 4 years, the couple is living a fairly happy life together ... Well, there is the fact John's job working at a car rental facility really isn't going anywhere and Lori's boss (Joel McHale) hits on her relentlessly. But neither of those things is the biggest issue potentially threatening their relationship ...
No, that would be Ted (voiced by Seth McFarlane), the teddy bear that came to life one magical Christmas holiday when John was 8 years old and has been the formerly lonesome boy's best friend ever since.
You see, while John and Lori are trying to mature their relationship, Ted is still as immature as ever, regularly enjoying smoking marijuana, getting drunk and doing basically what most college students enjoying doing. And therein lies the quandary: Can John finally become a man ... And if he can, can he do so while leaving his best friend behind?
But don't feel too bad for Ted. He is a former celebrity, after all ... And some fans like Donny (Givoanni Ribisi) still really hold him in a special place in their hearts ...
No, that would be Ted (voiced by Seth McFarlane), the teddy bear that came to life one magical Christmas holiday when John was 8 years old and has been the formerly lonesome boy's best friend ever since.
You see, while John and Lori are trying to mature their relationship, Ted is still as immature as ever, regularly enjoying smoking marijuana, getting drunk and doing basically what most college students enjoying doing. And therein lies the quandary: Can John finally become a man ... And if he can, can he do so while leaving his best friend behind?
But don't feel too bad for Ted. He is a former celebrity, after all ... And some fans like Donny (Givoanni Ribisi) still really hold him in a special place in their hearts ...
THE TAKE: Here are three simple questions that will answer whether or not you will like Ted:
[1] Do you like Family Guy, American Dad! and/or The Cleveland Show?
[2] Are you okay with ribald, raucous humor featuring a plethora of four-letter words and jokes that rife with political incorrectness that have the potential to offend just about every major social/political/religious group?; and
[3] Do you wish to see what is easily the funniest movie of 2012 thus far, even better than 21 Jump Street?
If you can't tell where I'm going with this, why are you still reading? Ted is the type of movie that will have you laughing to the point your stomach will hurt - and that's the highest compliment I can pay a movie of this nature.
Also surprising - or at least for anyone who's watched a lot of his previous attempts at comedy like the should-have-been-better-but-it's-just-since-been-long-forgotten-by-most The Other Guys - is how strong of a performance Wahlberg turns in. In Ted, you never once get the feeling he can't believe he's talking to a teddy bear; you get the sense that he is talking to a real person whom he cares about deeply. It's that sensitivity to the character that makes every joke work in the film, for without that, you really wouldn't be able to embrace all of the ridiculous activities, wordplay and general insanity he and his stuffed companion get into. Likewise, the film's story - about a man being forced to grow up and become an adult - wouldn't work.
Ted is a McFarlane affair, so longstanding fans of the show should know what to expect (minus the cutaway gags) in terms of language, subject matter and the like ... Which means Patrick Warburton (a.k.a. Officer Joe Swanson), Patrick Stewart (a.k.a. CIA Director Avery Bullock), Alex Borstein (a.k.a. Lois Griffin) and Kunis (whose character in the film might be described as an attractive version of Meg Griffin) are all utilized at various points effectively. Throw in some surprisingly effective cameos, "I can't believe they just said/did that" moments and a nice touch of humanity (not said ironically) in handling Ted and John's relationship and you have the makings of a really great movie. While it's not perfect, it's entertainment value more than makes up for its flaws and really, what more can you ask for from a comedy about a foul-mouthed talking teddy bear and his 35 year-old best friend?
[1] Do you like Family Guy, American Dad! and/or The Cleveland Show?
[2] Are you okay with ribald, raucous humor featuring a plethora of four-letter words and jokes that rife with political incorrectness that have the potential to offend just about every major social/political/religious group?; and
[3] Do you wish to see what is easily the funniest movie of 2012 thus far, even better than 21 Jump Street?
If you can't tell where I'm going with this, why are you still reading? Ted is the type of movie that will have you laughing to the point your stomach will hurt - and that's the highest compliment I can pay a movie of this nature.
Also surprising - or at least for anyone who's watched a lot of his previous attempts at comedy like the should-have-been-better-but-it's-just-since-been-long-forgotten-by-most The Other Guys - is how strong of a performance Wahlberg turns in. In Ted, you never once get the feeling he can't believe he's talking to a teddy bear; you get the sense that he is talking to a real person whom he cares about deeply. It's that sensitivity to the character that makes every joke work in the film, for without that, you really wouldn't be able to embrace all of the ridiculous activities, wordplay and general insanity he and his stuffed companion get into. Likewise, the film's story - about a man being forced to grow up and become an adult - wouldn't work.
Ted is a McFarlane affair, so longstanding fans of the show should know what to expect (minus the cutaway gags) in terms of language, subject matter and the like ... Which means Patrick Warburton (a.k.a. Officer Joe Swanson), Patrick Stewart (a.k.a. CIA Director Avery Bullock), Alex Borstein (a.k.a. Lois Griffin) and Kunis (whose character in the film might be described as an attractive version of Meg Griffin) are all utilized at various points effectively. Throw in some surprisingly effective cameos, "I can't believe they just said/did that" moments and a nice touch of humanity (not said ironically) in handling Ted and John's relationship and you have the makings of a really great movie. While it's not perfect, it's entertainment value more than makes up for its flaws and really, what more can you ask for from a comedy about a foul-mouthed talking teddy bear and his 35 year-old best friend?
PARTING SHOT: A film that will appeal to longstanding Family Guy fans while finding plenty of new ones, Ted is a raucous comedy that will make you cry ... Because you won't be able to hold back your laughter.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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