'Superbad': As American as Apple Pie and Porn
'Knocked Up' star Seth Rogen makes his debut as a writer.
Aug. 14, 2007 — -- It's a story as American as apple pie — and amateur pornography.
Three high school seniors try to lubricate the categorically awkward entry into young adulthood with alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Seriously, like a couple cases of beer, some wine coolers, hard lemonade, that liquor with the gold flakes in it, even some thick, blue laundry detergent.
All of the above make an appearance in the new movie "Superbad," along with a 2½-minute-long medley of phallic portraits that should only horrify — by the film's own count — 92 percent of the population.
"It's a fine line between emotion and filth," said Seth Rogen, the movie's co-writer, co-star and co-executive producer.
Director might have been part of that list of titles had it not been for an unlikely twinge of self-doubt in Rogen and fellow writer Evan Goldberg.
"There were times throughout the years when me and Evan were offered the opportunity to direct the movie for much less money. … But, we thought, 'We could direct it, but I bet there's a guy out there — a guy who can really visually bring it to life in a way we couldn't conceive of.'"
That guy ended up being Greg Mottola, a real director with real connections to a number of the producers, writers and cast members on the shoot.
"Greg just did things we never would have thought of," Rogen said. "Thank God we didn't direct it!"
Mottola is a veteran of the Judd Apatow comic mafia, which has since 2004 brought "Anchorman," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up." The director's connection to Rogen comes through Apatow's ill-fated sitcom "Undeclared." Mottola directed six of that series' 16 episodes.
Apatow is listed as a producer in the credits of "Superbad," but his signature is less obvious than in the earlier films.
"We're willing to go just a little further dirtiness-wise, than maybe Judd would be comfortable with," Rogen said. "But, at the end of the day, there's never been anything we can't resolve."
The real stars of "Superbad," though, are an unholy trinity of young actors, just two of whom you've heard of and seen before. The third is a newcomer named Chris Mintz-Plasse, but as even those who've only seen the trailer know, as a mono-monikered dynamo named McLovin, he is, in truth, the cinematic equivalent of Pele.
"Chris Mintz-Plasse!" Rogen howled at the mention of McLovin.
It's hard to blame him for being excited. There is not a fraternity in America that will not name at least one pledge each semester after the bespectacled wannabe playboy.
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