Forgetting Sarah Marshall

• Kaleem Aftab
• 24 April 2008

(15) 110min

ROMANCE/COMEDY

The Judd Apatow movie production line shows no signs of abating as Forgetting Sarah Marshall follows the template of Knocked Up to deliver some laughs, banal moralising and side characters that outshine the lead. Writer and star Jason Segal (hilarious in his attempts to pick up Leslie Mann in Knocked Up) is Peter Bretter, a composer who gets dumped by his soapstar girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell essentially playing herself).

Much to the chagrin of his brother-in-law (Bill Hader), with whom he has a hilarious relationship over cyber space, Peter decides to go to a Hawaii hotspot, which was the favourite location of his ex-girlfriend. There he bumps into her and her new rock-star boyfriend Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). Luckily Peter is sidetracked by the beautiful receptionist at the hotel (Mila Kunis), who takes an instant and unlikely shine to him.

As he did in St Trinian’s, Brand acts like he’s doing one of his stand-up routines: either you’ll love him or hate him. Here he steals the movie with his suitably vacuous demeanour, artificial sex appeal and comic timing. Segal just cannot compete with Brand when they share the screen.

Despite a handful of excellent, funny set pieces, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is sub Apatow and for the most part predictable and grating plot in that way that only romantic comedies can be.

General release from Fri 25 Apr.