Desperate to raise enough money to pay their mounting bills and rent, two platonic flatmates decide to film and star in a homemade pornographic movie, but things get complicated when they realise that they might really love each other in this lively Kevin Smith comedy. As usual, Smith litters the film with entertaining supporting characters, with Jason Mewes particularly interesting, repressing his Jay mannerisms to play an uninhibited amateur porn actor, and Justin Long as a gay professional in the business has rarely been funnier. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks also make for likable leads, however, the overall film comes off as a notch below Smith's par. Predictability is a key issue here as it is telegraphed from very early on that the protagonists will realise that they love each other and get jealous on set. More detrimental though is the way Smith allows sentimentality to overtake his penchant for quirky humour. Sentiment is not uncommon in Smith films; 'Mallrats' and 'Chasing Amy' (arguably his best movies) have sentiment in spades, but in both cases, it is squeezed in and around the kooky supporting characters and raunchy jokes. Here, the plot seems to halt whenever Rogen and Banks reassess their feelings for one another. Never to mind, 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' has far more highs than lows. The makeshift movie studios, non-professional costumes and boom mike incidents are funny, the 'Star Wars' referencing is a lot of fun and the zany extras in the middle of the end credits ensure the film ends on a strong note.
Review of Zack and Miri Make a Porno
