July
16Analyzing the Apatow Machine
Is Judd Apatow working too hard? The events of last night make you wonder.It was a unique occasion for any writer-producer, even for Apatow. One of his films, “Step Brothers,” starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, was premiering in Westwood. Meanwhile at the AMC Theaters in Century City, yet another Apatow creation, “Pineapple Express,” was unfurled at it first media screening.
If you add up all the films Apatow has been involved in as a co-writer, co-producer or co-something over the past two years, you reach the astounding total of 10. With at least 3 more in pre-production.
I’m not going to pre-review the two newest Apatow effusions other than to say the following: Some folks are beginning to feel his work seems rushed. They reflect spasms of creativity rather than carefully crafted filmmaking. Nonetheless, the one-word summary of last night’s screenings: Spasms of hilarity.
Viewing Pineapple, some stoners in the audience wondered whether the movie had really been written and budgeted, or had simply been shot during a one-week bong binge. (The anti-smoking activists will go crazy over this movie because the characters are smoking in every scene -- and they’re not smoking Marlboros). One character described what he was smoking as reminding him of “God’s vagina.”As for “Step Brothers,” there were big laughs in the trailer. That can be a warning sign; but happily there were even bigger laughs in the movie.
Let’s get over certain basic facts about Apatow: He’s a great guy. That makes it difficult to resent his productivity and his lack of creative inhibitions. He occupies a unique position in town. He’s able to exploit every goddamn idea that comes into his head. Nonstop.
The results can be astonishingly successful: Consider “Talladega Nights” or “Knocked Up.” Try to forget “Drillbit Taylor” and “Walk Hard.” And try not to ponder whether a movie like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” couldn’t have been vastly more satisfying had it undergone one more rewrite and one more go-around in the editing room.
But here’s a possibility: Maybe Apatow’s flaws are also the keys to his success. He has to ram though four or five movies a year in order to keep his spasms spasming.
As long as his actors -- and financiers -- go along with it, so much the better. He may end up retiring with 200 films to his credit. Preston Sturges had only 12. And Hal Ashby had only 11.
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My God, I am just going to take the 5th over his films.
Posted by: abittiredofmrapatowsfilms | 7/18/2008 6:11:27 AM
These are late twenties angst stories that he is very good at telling and recognizing. He understands today's antihero regular Joe/Jane.
His protagonists desperately want to fit in, but they just aren't sure why.
And they certainly don't know how to fit in either. His movies will continue to be hits until money, careers, or family obligations stop his audience from going out on dates.
Posted by: Truth Be Told | 7/17/2008 8:28:15 PM
Having seen "Pineapple Express" last night at a pre-screening in Orlando, Fl I can gladly say that Apatow and his merry gang of comic gems have done it again! the crowd ate it up. Before each of his movies i think to myself that one day the humor will stop, he really cant catch lightning in a bottle every time, and yet he has yet to let me down (i have not seen drillbit taylor though)
Posted by: Nickflicks | 7/17/2008 2:07:44 PM
Without having any knowledge of the films' "internal processes", I am still wondering if you are not exaggerating his role in films that he for example only co-produced or co-written. Does a co-producer really deserve so much credit for the result? Is not Forgetting Sarah Marshall more of a Jason Segal movie than a Judd Apatow movie and isn't Pineapple express more of a David Gordon Green movie?
Posted by: Jacob | 7/17/2008 3:12:21 AM