Seth MacFarlane, the creator of the popular Family Guy, had originally planned the story of a teddy bear coming to life as a television show. Yet when the opportunity arose for MacFarlane to write, produce, and direct his very first full length movie, he turned to Ted.
This proved to be a phenomenal decision, as an R-rated film allows Ted to go where a prime-time television show cannot. The result pays off so much that Ted is easily one of the two best comedies of the year (the other being 21 Jump Street).
Ted is a teddy bear, wished to life by young child John Bennett. “It’s a Christmas miracle. You’re just like the baby Jesus!” John’s mom exclaims. Yeah, but Ted's and Jesus's 30s are very different.
Some 20 years later, John and Ted’s youthful innocence is lost, as John and Ted have grown up into irresponsible pot-smokers living together with part-time jobs. Somehow, John has managed to land a smokin’ hot girlfriend, Lori, but as his bromance with Ted threatens his romance with Lori, John is forced to choose between his “GF” and his “BFF.”
The bromance film is a familiar story (ie: I Love You, Man), but the novelty of one of the “bros” as a living toy makes the plot feel new and fresh. Then consider that this teddy bear, often a symbol of innocence and joy, lives for getting drunk, high, and laid and constantly spews out vulgarity in a thick Bostonian accent. The film constantly surprises us by always letting Ted do the unexpected. A no-holds-barred brawl is intense, but also hilarious, since one of the fighters is a teddy bear.
Ted is a teddy bear, wished to life by young child John Bennett. “It’s a Christmas miracle. You’re just like the baby Jesus!” John’s mom exclaims. Yeah, but Ted's and Jesus's 30s are very different.
Some 20 years later, John and Ted’s youthful innocence is lost, as John and Ted have grown up into irresponsible pot-smokers living together with part-time jobs. Somehow, John has managed to land a smokin’ hot girlfriend, Lori, but as his bromance with Ted threatens his romance with Lori, John is forced to choose between his “GF” and his “BFF.”
The bromance film is a familiar story (ie: I Love You, Man), but the novelty of one of the “bros” as a living toy makes the plot feel new and fresh. Then consider that this teddy bear, often a symbol of innocence and joy, lives for getting drunk, high, and laid and constantly spews out vulgarity in a thick Bostonian accent. The film constantly surprises us by always letting Ted do the unexpected. A no-holds-barred brawl is intense, but also hilarious, since one of the fighters is a teddy bear.
Now, if having a teddy bear say and do crude things was the full extent of the humor, then Ted would be only a gimmick, one which would get really old, really fast. Fortunately MacFarlane is a talented enough entertainer to know that the content of a film (or show), in addition to the premise, is what makes a comedy great. And what happens in the film is truly funny. Just like in Family Guy, no one in popular culture is immune from being satirized in Ted and the jokes are delivered at the same spitfire pace.
“What’s remarkable about Ted is that it doesn’t run out of steam. MacFarlane seems unwilling to stop after the first payoff of a scene. He keeps embellishing” (Roger Ebert).
MacFarlane is a proven talented voice actor and proves himself again as the voice of Ted, for whom he also provided the movements via the motion capture technology, รก la Gollum from The Lord of the Rings or the Na’vi in Avatar. Mark Wahlberg as John is, as he is in other comedies, passable as the straight-man, while Mila Kunis as Lori also does well.
If criticism has to made, it would be that the film is a bit long, the idea of a man having to choose between his friend and his girl is somewhat predictable, and if you are easily offended, Ted will certainly cross your line of decency. But even then, although Ted the character may be filled with stuffing and marijuana smoke, Ted the film contains real heart. It never forgets to humanize its characters. Despite the crudity, Ted is actually very sweet, striking a decent balance between laughter and emotion.
The Final Word: Go buy a ticket.
“What’s remarkable about Ted is that it doesn’t run out of steam. MacFarlane seems unwilling to stop after the first payoff of a scene. He keeps embellishing” (Roger Ebert).
MacFarlane is a proven talented voice actor and proves himself again as the voice of Ted, for whom he also provided the movements via the motion capture technology, รก la Gollum from The Lord of the Rings or the Na’vi in Avatar. Mark Wahlberg as John is, as he is in other comedies, passable as the straight-man, while Mila Kunis as Lori also does well.
If criticism has to made, it would be that the film is a bit long, the idea of a man having to choose between his friend and his girl is somewhat predictable, and if you are easily offended, Ted will certainly cross your line of decency. But even then, although Ted the character may be filled with stuffing and marijuana smoke, Ted the film contains real heart. It never forgets to humanize its characters. Despite the crudity, Ted is actually very sweet, striking a decent balance between laughter and emotion.
The Final Word: Go buy a ticket.
Well done, Ethan. I'm honored to be your latest "Follower!"
ReplyDeleteThanks Christopher!
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