'Knocked Up': Funniest movie this year?

It's probably too early to make that declaration -- I would have missed Borat if I'd said that this early last year. So far that crown goes to 'Knocked Up' (trailer), which is at its heart a chick flick made by a slightly raunchy guy, Judd Apatow -- the real star of this show. Even though his work as a hired hack shows some rather questionable entries under the writer portion of his IMDb profile, when he sinks his teeth into something enough to direct it as well, he's both funny and deft at mixing the sweet in without creating syrup. Although I found his previous effort, 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin', to be superior, they both share the distinction of not being simply a collection of jokes because they have likable main characters whose stories I care about hearing. And supporting characters who make every scene rich with humor.

The setup is a bit ridiculous but made me chuckle even hearing about it. Seth Rogen (longtime Apatow player) plays a stoner loser who (as the title implies) knocks up a sophisticated, pretty Katherine Heigl, who is celebrating a promotion. It turns into a bit of a chick flick in the romance between the two and the taming of the wild boy at heart. I found it lacking compared to '40YOV' in that Rogen was not as likable as Steve Carell's and the plot a bit too convenient and less organic. What it doesn't miss, though, is that it kept me in stitches the entire time -- a bit about one of the characters shaving just about made my friend Owen fall out of his chair (any thoughts on your favorite part, comment away). Even tiny characters like Kristin Wigg's were worthy additions to the story that made me enjoy a comedy that lasted over 2 hours. Apatow also has a knack for writing some of the best representations of male friendship. His guys play off each other brilliantly and are funny without being dipping to the sitcom level of mocking his guys.

Summertime is not generally known as a time for serious movies -- that's what we have winter for! Instead we should take advantage of the best summer fare we can and by that measure this is a can't miss. It's funny, appeals to just about everyone (except for those who have a low threshold for sex humor) and is better than just about any movie you'll see on a marquee this summer.

Grade: A-