Movie Review: Ted
Nov 28 2012.
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Seth MacFarlane’s debut is not only a barnstormer but a welcome injection of new blood into the ailing heart of contemporary Hollywood comedy. Gone are the days of half-baked Frat Pack productions and irredeemably defective Sandler vehicles. Ted sees the Family Guy creator successfully construct an endearing CGI character, replete with convincing realism.
The eponymous Ted (Seth MacFarlane) is a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking, teddy bear with an obnoxious sense of humour and a best friend in hedonistic rental car agency worker John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg).
Their companionship is challenged when John has to choose between his long-term girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) and the pint-sized stoner. Drunken karaoke, Flash Gordon and naughty salt follow….
What may sound clichéd on paper is in fact remarkably executed on screen. This is largely due to screenwriter MacFarlane’s biting pop culture satire: bold, beautiful and certainly cleverer than the cheap, facile cutaway gags exhibited in Family Guy.
The plot may be predictable but the picture is poignant. This is best illustrated by the denouement: unsurprising, yet far from sugar-coated.
Where to from here, one wonders? A sequel, I’m told. Will MacFarlane eventually suffer the fate of numerous modern comic predecessors and succumb to mediocrity? Or will he maintain his legitimacy and fuel an epoch of memorable hilarity? I’m going to be optimistic and forecast the latter.
MacFarlane’s sincere bromance has thus far, raked in a colossal $500m at the box office. Go join the masses.
Stars - ★★★★
By Rehan Alexander Mudannayake
Ted (2012
Comedy | Fantasy
As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John's side ever since - a friendship that's tested when Lori, John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Writers: Seth MacFarlane (story), Seth MacFarlane (screenplay)
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxKfC77XAp8
0 Comments
Hunter says:
Dec 10, 2012 at 11:27 pmThanks for posting your review of TED, Rehan. I saw this movie in theaters, and thought it was one of the best comedies that I have seen in a very long time. I reference it all the time, but I have a few friends at DISH who never get the joke. I just added TED to my DISH Blockbuster @Home rental queue as soon as I saw that it was available to rent. They ship very quickly, so I should have the disk in time for me to have those friends over for a little viewing party on Saturday night. They are al