Forgetting Sarah Marshall

In Forgetting Sarah Marshall we follow Peter, who has just been dumped by his actress girlfriend, Sarah Marshall. After 3 weeks of emotional torment that follow the split, Peter decides to take a vacation to a resort in Hawaii that he had heard Sarah talk about. Upon his arrival, he soon discovers that Sarah is also vacationing at the same resort. . . . with new rock star boyfriend in tow. With the help of a few comical new friends and a little romance, Peter stumbles through "forgetting" about Sarah.

The story lacks a little in luster, but the characters in this movie keep it afloat.

There is a certain charm and humor to this movie that can only be brought by Jason Segal. From the moment that he tells Sarah (Kristen Bell) that "if I put clothes on, it means that it's over", he's a sure audience favorite. I think a major contributor to this viewer connection is the common thread we share in that, at some point, we've either been this guy, or knew this guy. Everyone has been through a break up (plus or minus the being dumped in the nude part). I can even think of times where I've inadvertently seen an ex boyfriend shortly after a break up and thought to myself that "I wish I weren't wearing this fucking shirt".

Kristen Bell plays an interesting antagonist, mainly because she is both the victim AND the bad guy. Sure, on the surface it looks like she left Peter for another guy and for all intents and purposes that is true. But as the movie carries on, you learn that a factor in choosing to leave Peter was her feelings that their relationship with holding her back emotionally and perhaps professionally despite efforts to make things better. She doesn't want to leave Peter but instead feels she has to. Once we hear Sarah's confession, suddenly she, too, becomes a character that one can connect with. However, the sympathetic feelings for Sarah soon shift when she comes between Peter and new love interest Rachel, becoming the character you love to hate.

Dialog delivered by Russell Brand is absolutely delightful, and appearances by Paul Rudd and Bill Hader round out the supporting cast quite nicely.

I very much enjoy this movie a little more every time I see it. In fact, I'm still waiting to lose a shoe so that I can ask if anyone has seen and further explain that, "It's like this one's fellow... it's sort of the exact opposite in fact of that - not an evil version but just, you know, a shoe like this... but for the other foot." I very much recommend this movie to the laugh-seekers among us.