Review of Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) by Brian K — 13 Apr 2013

Kevin Smith's most vulgar and raunchy outing, 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' actually turns out to be one of his most endearing. The is the kind of film that people will relentlessly ask me, "What makes this film any different than 'My Best Friend's Girl' or 'College'?" both of which I panned for their ruthless vulgarity. Well, the difference is that this film uses dirty humor in order to highten the story, characters, and the material.

Despite the title, this film is not about making a porno, but about the self discovery and life adventures while making a porno. I know it's hard to grasp, but stay with me. Zack(Seth Rogen) and Miri(Elizabeth Banks) have been room mates ever since they graduated high school. He works at a coffee shop with Delaney(A very funny Craig Robinson) and hates every minute of it. Well, they go to their ten year high school reunion because Miri hopes to hit on her old crush, Bobby Long(Brandon Routh). While there, Zack meets a man named Brandon(Justin Long). Brandon explains to Zack that he is an actor for films with all male casts. In a great piece of dialogue written by Smith, Zack says, "I apologize if I'm out of line in what I'm about to ask you . . . But, are you in gay porn?" to which Brandon sauvely replies, "Guilty as charged." Turns out that Brandon is Bobby's boyfriend. In case you were wondering, Miri doesn't end up getting to sleep with him. Instead, she and Zack run out of money and their lights and utilities are shut down. What do they do? Zack remembers his conversation with Brandon. "Let's make a porno.".

From that point on, the film is the raunchiest, most absurdly crude movie you'll see all year. They touch base on everything you can think of, from porno versions of actual films: "Star Whores". To fantasy stories involving having sex in the back room of a coffee shop on top of a pile of coffee beans. Let's just hope Zack didn't use those beans in the coffee next morning. All the gaps are filled: Oral, Vaginal, Anal, Strap-ons, vibrators, Fake-Vagina-Flash-Lights, Alternative ways to masturbate, anything and everything. This film makes no false pretenses and doesn't skim the surface.

But, what's refreshing about the film, and something that certainly doesn't exist in most raunchy comedies, is that the vulgarity does not over shadow the characters. In fact, it is the other way around. Miri, particularly, takes the foreground and Elizabeth Banks convincingly tells her story. The other great thing about the film is that it knows the difference between 'fucking' and 'making love'. It shows us the difference. When Zack and Miri get their scene finished, they aren't able to use it in the actual film because it's too intimate and romantic.

I highly recommend the film and hope you enjoy it. I can say that there will always be something to shock you on the screen and you will never be bored. I hope this can clear the air at what makes a good film: Writing. That's where it starts. Kevin Smith is a phenomenal writer. It's interesting that the writer is treated as the lowest part to the totum pole. After they send their script in, the studio will rip it apart, make vast changes, give it to a director who doesn't know how to make a film, release it, and then wonder why it sucks so bad.