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Movie Review | 'Knocked Up'

Bye-Bye, Bong. Hello, Baby.

By A.O. Scott

• June 1, 2007

It may be a bit, um, premature to say so, but Judd Apatow’s “Knocked Up” strikes me as an instant classic, a comedy that captures the sexual confusion and moral ambivalence of our moment without straining, pandering or preaching. Like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” Mr. Apatow’s earlier film, it attaches dirty humor to a basically upright premise. While this movie’s barrage of gynecology-inspired jokes would have driven the prudes at the old Hays Office mad, its story, about a young man trying to do what used to be the very definition of the Right Thing, might equally have brought a smile of approval to the lips of the starchiest old-Hollywood censor.

The wonder of “Knocked Up” is that it never scolds or sneers. It is sharp but not mean, sweet but not soft, and for all its rowdy obscenity it rarely feels coarse or crude. What it does feel is honest: about love, about sex, and above all about the built-in discrepancies between what men and women expect from each other and what they are likely to get. Starting, as he did in “Virgin,” from a default position of anti-romantic cynicism, Mr. Apatow finds an unlikely route back into romance, a road that passes through failure and humiliation on its meandering way toward comic bliss.

This improbable — and improbably persuasive — love story is embedded in what looks at first like a nest of sitcom clichés. The central would-be couple, Ben and Alison, represent the kind of schlub-babe pairing seen more frequently on television than anywhere else. Tall, blond and lovely, Alison (Katherine Heigl) has just been promoted to an on-air job at the E! cable network when she meets Ben (Seth Rogen) at a nightclub. He is a pudgy, unkempt stoner who lives with a group of goofball pals. Their ratty communal apartment doubles as the headquarters of their nascent Internet enterprise, a Web site that will collect and catalog movie scenes in which famous actresses appear naked. (It never occurs to them that someone else may already have come up with this ingenious idea. Why else was the Internet invented?)

But Ben, whatever his shortcomings, is friendly and unpretentious, and it does not entirely defy belief when Alison, beer goggles firmly in place, takes him home to bed. Or, rather, to her sister’s house, where she sleeps in a spare room. The sister, Debbie (played by the brilliant Leslie Mann, Mr. Apatow’s wife), is on hand to send darts of envy and disapproval in Alison’s direction and also, along with her husband, Pete (Paul Rudd), to incarnate both the ideal and the nightmare of heterosexual domesticity. Debbie is relentlessly critical, Pete is emotionally withdrawn, and together they dwell in a paradoxical state in which fulfillment — two charming young daughters, a big house with a pool, each other — seems indistinguishable from disappointment.

There is, as I’ve suggested, a certain familiarity to much of this: the bickering married couple; the competent, attractive young woman yoked to a slovenly and unambitious young man; the geeky slackers who communicate entirely through allusions to movies, comic books and old television shows. But Mr. Apatow, a creator of some of the best-loved, least-watched series in recent television history (notably “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared”), has a sly way of subverting these familiar touchstones.

When one of Ben’s sperm, showing more initiative than the man who produced it (and taking advantage of an all-too-believable moment of condom carelessness) hits the reproductive jackpot, the stage seems to be set for a comedy of male panic. But that’s not quite how “Knocked Up” plays. Rather than being afraid of commitment, Ben appears fascinated by the idea, as if it were a distant land chronicled in legend and song. When he learns that Alison has decided to keep the baby — there is a funny, knowing riff on the reluctance of movies and television shows even to use the word “abortion” — he seems genuinely delighted.

Alison is somewhat more hesitant, not about the incipient child but about staying with Ben, whose hold on maturity is less sure than his grip on his favorite bong. She does not entirely trust him, but she likes him enough to worry about forcing him to change his ways. What Alison doesn’t realize — partly because he doesn’t quite either — is that Ben wouldn’t mind changing, if only he could figure out how.

At a moment of crisis Ben calls his father, a nice, tolerant guy played by Harold Ramis, for advice. “Just tell me what to do,” he begs, but no help is forthcoming. (“I’ve been divorced three times. Why are you asking me?”) The absence of a credible model of male adulthood is clearly one of the forces trapping Ben and his friends in their state of blithe immaturity.

Mr. Apatow’s critique of contemporary mores is easy to miss — it is obscured as much by geniality as by profanity — but it is nonetheless severe and directed at the young men who make up the core of this film’s likely audience. The culture of sexual entitlement and compulsive consumption encourages men to remain boys, for whom women serve as bedmates and babysitters. Resistance requires the kind of quixotic heroism Steve Carell showed in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” or a life-changing accident, like Alison’s serendipitous pregnancy.

“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up” are, primarily, movies about men, but Mr. Apatow is too smart, and too curious, to imprison the women in these films in the usual static roles of shrew, sexpot or sensible surrogate mom. Alison is not just Ben’s foil, and Mr. Apatow recognizes that her confusion and anxiety are, ultimately, far more acute and consequential than Ben’s. It’s her body and her future on the line, after all.

Ms. Heigl is allowed to be funny as well as pretty — a rarity in guy-centered comedies — as is Ms. Mann. And Debbie’s frustration in marriage is given at least as much emotional and dramatic weight as Pete’s.

I realize that much of what I have said about it makes “Knocked Up” sound like a pretty heavy picture, pregnant (sorry!) with seriousness and social significance. But since the birth of the talkies the best American movie comedies have managed to confront grave matters and to defy their own gravity.

In this case the buoyant hilarity never feels weighed down by moral earnestness, even though the film’s ethical sincerity is rarely in doubt. The writing is quick and sharp, and the jokes skitter past, vanishing almost before you can catch them. Rather than toggle back and forth, sitcom-style, between laughter and tears, Mr. Apatow lingers in his scenes long enough to show that what is funny can also be sad and vice versa.

“Knocked Up” made me smile and wince; it made me laugh and almost cry. Above all it made me happy.

“Knocked Up” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It finds abundant humor in the details — and the very existence — of the human reproductive system.

Opens today nationwide.

Written and directed by Judd Apatow; director of photography, Eric Edwards; edited by Brent White and Craig Alpert; music by Loudon Wainwright and Joe Henry; production designer, Jefferson Sage; produced by Mr. Apatow, Shauna Robertson and Clayton Townsend; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 129 minutes.

WITH: Seth Rogen (Ben Stone), Katherine Heigl (Alison Scott), Paul Rudd (Pete), Leslie Mann (Debbie), Jason Segel (Jason), Jay Baruchel (Jay), Jonah Hill (Jonah) and Harold Ramis (Ben’s Dad).

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Raunchy but tender comedy about sex and parenthood.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Yes, there's unprotected sex and rampant drug

Ben is far from a role model at the beginning of t

Some pushing and shoving.

Fairly graphic sex scenes -- not in terms of nudit

Lots and lots of cursing -- think Tarantino levels

E! Entertainment Television, Ryan Seacrest, Spider

Ubiquitous marijuana use and pot paraphernalia amo

Parents need to know that, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Knocked Up earns its R rating with drug use, strong language (it's constant, particularly "f--k"), nudity, and nonstop explicit conversations about sex. Teenagers will want to see it, especially if they saw Virgin . But be…

Positive Messages

Yes, there's unprotected sex and rampant drug use, but the consequences of both are made very apparent. Ben and Alison not only decide to have their baby but also to really get to know each other for the child's sake.

Positive Role Models

Ben is far from a role model at the beginning of the film; Alison, while more mature, still engages in risky and foolish behavior. They do eventually grow together in order to "do the right thing," but the funniest part is watching them get there. They are hilarious to watch, but best not look to them for guidance.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Fairly graphic sex scenes -- not in terms of nudity (although Rogen's bare butt is visible), but in the positions and conversation depicted. Everyone discusses sex, whether it's a married couple casually discussing whether to have it or a group of guys debating whether Ben's gonna get some, etc. There's also a realistic representation of pregnancy that includes a woman's hormonal shifts and sexual needs. At the end, there's an almost documentary-style childbirth scene. There's even movie-within-a-movie nudity (Ben's job is to record whenever an actress gets naked on screen). A couple of fairly brief topless scenes (including one graphic-but-funny lap-dance sequence).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Lots and lots of cursing -- think Tarantino levels but in a funnier context: Frequent use of "f--k" and all the other standard swear words; "c--t"; various euphemisms for sex and genitalia; colorful insults.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

E! Entertainment Television, Ryan Seacrest, Spider-Man 3 .

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Ubiquitous marijuana use and pot paraphernalia among Ben and his friends. Ben and Pete do mushrooms and hallucinate. Alison and Ben get incredibly drunk before their one-night stand. Clubgoers are shown drinking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Knocked Up earns its R rating with drug use, strong language (it's constant, particularly "f--k"), nudity, and nonstop explicit conversations about sex. Teenagers will want to see it, especially if they saw Virgin . But be advised -- the main character and his roommates spend nearly all of their time high on marijuana, and the physiological aspects of pregnancy -- from conception to crowning -- are front and center. (On the bright side, after watching all of that, it's a good bet that teens will be much less likely to risk having unprotected sex and may even appreciate what their mothers went through to give birth...) To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (9)
• Kids say (31)

Based on 9 parent reviews

Too much profanity!

What's the story.

Judd Apatow -- the mastermind behind 2005's summer smash The 40-Year-Old Virgin is back with KNOCKED UP, another raunchy-but-sweet story that's not for the easily offended. Seth Rogen plays Ben Stone, a 23-year-old living off his meager savings account who spends his days smoking weed with his layabout buddies. Their one ambition besides getting high is to start an online database that provides exhaustively researched time code stamps for actresses' movie nude scenes. One wild and crazy night, Ben gets very lucky at a club. Gorgeous Alison Scott ( Katherine Heigl ) is celebrating her recent promotion and, after many shots, is willing to do the deed with slouchy Ben. Two months later, Alison discovers that she's pregnant. Instead of opting out of the pregnancy -- as many might expect them to do -- Alison and Ben start dating while searching for an OB, dealing with morning sickness, and trying to ignore his friends' stupid comments (a la "I see the milk's come in").

Is It Any Good?

In lesser hands, Knocked Up could have devolved into a clichéd odd-couple farce. But with Apatow at the helm it becomes a genuine, realistic depiction of how two very different people learn to be a couple for the sake of their unborn child. Sure, there are hilariously graphic sex scenes ("The baby just kicked me, he's angry") and countless pot gags (you may get a contact high just watching those guys), but there's also an underlying message about truly facing adulthood.

As Alison's sister and brother-in-law, Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd (also Apatow regulars, and, in Mann's case, his wife) are terrifically matched as a hip couple with kids who are facing their own Oprah-fied brand of marriage problems. Their domestic banter -- "Wanna have sex?"/"Ugggh. I'm awful. I'm constipated. You really want to?" -- is funny, as they say, because it's true. If the idea of ubiquitous foul language (particularly "f--k"), sex talk, and marijuana references -- not to mention a, let's say, documentary-style portrayal of childbirth -- isn't your cup of tea, Knocked Up may not be a wise choice. But if you can enjoy (or at least see past) the raunch, you'll be richly rewarded with a tender homage to growing up, falling in love, and becoming a parent -- just not necessarily in that order.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the consequences of having sex -- including pregnancy and parenthood.

How do movies and TV shows usually depict unplanned pregnancy? How is this movie different?

Does the fact that it's a comedy make the issues seem less serious?

Do you think Alison and Ben made the right decisions? Why or why not?

Families can also discuss the "return" of the R-rated comedy. Do the raunchy bits make movies like this funnier, or do they go overboard?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 31, 2007
• On DVD or streaming : September 25, 2007
• Cast : Katherine Heigl , Paul Rudd , Seth Rogen
• Director : Judd Apatow
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 129 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : sexual content, drug use and language.
• Last updated : April 11, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Knocked Up Reviews

A decade-and-a-half after its release, Judd Apatow’s 2007 comedy Knocked Up is mostly known for a few controversies... All of those controversies have some merit. But that doesn’t mean the film itself deserves to be written off. (15th anniversary)

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 16, 2022

Fifteen years after its release, Knocked Up is a time capsule of comedy filmmaking from over a decade ago.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 1, 2022

Judd Apatows gags are strewn with crude language and extreme behavior but his humor is all grounded in character and relationships and prickly moments of self-realization and guilt, and his cast mixes it up wonderfully.

Full Review | Mar 19, 2022

There are comic moments and some freshness in certain scenes, likeable bits, even satiric touches ..., but overall, this is a weak effort.

Full Review | Feb 14, 2021

Knocked Up crafts pathos and spit-takes from the truism that life will invariably make adults of us all whether we like it or not.

Full Review | Jan 30, 2020

Knocked Up works thanks in large part to a strong cast and Apatow's ability to stretch a seemingly razor-thin premise into a well-developed (OK, maybe too developed) final product.

Full Review | Nov 21, 2019

Knocked Up must be the funniest Hollywood romantic comedy since Apatow's 40-Year-Old Virgin. Granted, there are higher compliments, but the movie undeniably offers audiences many abdomen-impairing moments they'll talk (and talk and talk) about.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 25, 2019

Asmart, charming, uproarious, unabashedly filthy sex comedy that delivers on all levels.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 5, 2019

What makes Knocked Up stand out is not just the fact that the jokes are side-splittingly funny but that nearly everything that happens to the couple rings so true.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 3, 2018

The very fact that some clearly juvenile filmmakers have hit on the truth that a baby in the womb is as much a life as the one cradled in its mother's arms is encouraging.

Full Review | Oct 16, 2018

What really sells it is a fantastic support cast featuring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill and Leslie Mann.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jun 14, 2018

... Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl have great chemistry onscreen and they are hysterical together.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Sep 12, 2017

It might look slightly risqué but the message remains the same: get married, stay married and buy lots of stuff.

Full Review | Aug 23, 2017

[Apatow] makes responsibility and commitment funny; no mean feat.

Full Review | Jul 8, 2014

What makes most of Knocked Up work is its ability to squeeze big laughs out of real-world situations.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jul 8, 2014

Knocked Up proves that hit comedy doesn't have to dumb down for its demographic.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 10, 2014

With sparkling performances from Rogen and Heigl, Apatow once again shows his sharp eye for talent and continuing knack for hits.

Full Review | Aug 3, 2013

The jokes, which are in the absolute poorest taste, remain hilarious, while a newer, deeper humanism, sensed in momentary flashes in the earlier film, is now fully on display.

The movie is a decisive breakthrough for Apatow, whose comic instincts go hand in hand with an unfashionable empathy.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Aug 3, 2013

It's a hysterical, well acted, and wonderful glimpse at impending parenthood from a man's perspective...

Full Review | Feb 1, 2013

Knocked Up (2007)

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"Knocked Up" is 2007's Best-Reviewed Wide Release

Eyebrows were raised when early reviews of " Knocked Up " were throwing us mega-quotes like "uproarious," "classic," and one of the "best comedies of the last twenty years." Early reviews can be over-enthusiastic, but this time it’s no joke: " Knocked Up " isn’t just 2007’s best comedy, it’s the best-reviewed wide release movie overall with a Certified Fresh Tomatometer of 92 percent.

"Knocked Up" stars Seth Rogen as perpetually stoned schlub named Ben who impregnates a woman way out of his league ( Katherine Heigl ) after a one-night stand, putting the kibosh on his arrested development. It’s a good year for comedy so far: the second-best reviewed movie of 2007 so far is the action-spoof " Hot Fuzz ," which is Certified Fresh with 89 percent Tomatometer. " Blades of Glory " also fared decently with 69 percent, placing it 12th on 2007’s overall list.

Mainstream comedies rarely ever cross into Certified Fresh territory, but it’s now practically expected from "Knocked Up" writer-director Judd Apatow . He did incredible TV work with " Freaks and Geeks " and " Undeclared ," after which he went on to resurrect the R-comedy in 2005 with " The 40-Year-Old-Virgin ."

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• DVD & Streaming

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Katherine Heigl as Alison Scott; Seth Rogen as Ben Stone; Paul Rudd as Pete; Leslie Mann as Debbie; Jay Baruchel as Jay; Jonah Hill as Jonah; Jason Segel as Jason; Harold Ramis as Ben's Dad; Alan Tudyk as Jack; Kristen Wiig as Jill; cameos by Ryan Seacrest, James Franco, Steve Carell, Owen Wilson and Debbie Matenopoulos

Home Release Date

• Judd Apatow

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• Universal Pictures

Movie Review

In writer/director Judd Apatow’s raunchy follow-up to The 40-Year-Old Virgin, bong-hitting slacker Ben Stone (played by Seth Rogen, a borscht belt cross between Albert Brooks and Jimmy Kimmel) somehow scores a drunken one-night stand with Alison Scott, an ambitious E! red-carpet interviewer. They couldn’t be more mismatched. But she ends up pregnant, thrusting them back together for nine months of personal growth and indecent comedy.

The couple’s noble decision to work at their relationship and embrace parenthood has its challenges. Ben, accustomed to spending untold hours getting high and goofing off with his rudderless pals, needs a major dose of maturity and ambition. Alison lives with her sister’s family (Debbie, Pete and their two daughters), giving her daily, sometimes scary examples of what lies around the corner.

Positive Elements

While a few characters suggest that abortion might be the couple’s best option, Alison decides to have the baby regardless of how pregnancy might threaten her figure or career. Without getting on a soapbox, the film comes off as pro-life. A doctor points out the baby’s heartbeat in an eighth-week ultrasound image, and similar womb shots are used throughout to mark the passage of time. During the closing credits, viewers see the child and her parents still together and enjoying family life. Even Alison’s mom, who advised her to abort and someday have a “real baby,” seems blessed by the bundle of joy she would have destroyed.

Pete is a loving, playful dad to his two young daughters. Ben, despite lacking certain skills and experience, is a game playmate for Pete’s girls, and has a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior. Men talk about being able to accept love. Debbie grapples with aging, expressing emotional needs shared by countless women at her station of life.

A poignant moment occurs when Ben, at a crossroads, desperately needs black-and-white advice from his affectionate-yet-liberal dad, who has nothing to offer. On the verge of tears Ben pleads, “Tell me what to do.” It’s a powerful example of what happens when fathers fail to be strong, moral role models. Fortunately, Ben summons the courage to put aside selfish things and do what’s right.

Spiritual Elements

Guys take pride in their Jewish heritage, though they’re far from religious about it.

Sexual Content

Sex is depicted as nothing more than a casual recreational activity. Alison and Ben sleep together several times. They aren’t shown nude, but those scenes are extended, loud and explicit. Shots of bare-breasted women appear throughout, including a lesbian make-out scene and strippers giving Ben and Pete lap dances.

Ben and his buddies are busy developing “Flesh of the Stars,” a Web site that tells users precisely where in movies their favorite celebrities bare all. Alison helps Ben do “research” at one point, excitedly calling out full frontal nudity.

Vile humor involves all sorts of sexual and anatomical content. Jokes revolve around fellatio, herpes, erections, unconventional sex and autoerotic asphyxiation. Debbie describes her husband’s masturbatory habits. Pete admits that he married Debbie after she got pregnant. The couple studies a map of the sex offenders living in their neighborhood, which indicates that they may outnumber fire hydrants.

The camera offers glimpses of a crowning baby starting to exit Alison’s vagina as one onlooker makes a crude sexual comment.

Violent Content

A 7-year-old girl describes Googling “murder” and finding bloody pictures of dead bodies. Later, her misunderstanding about where babies come from sounds like something out of a zombie horror movie.

Crude or Profane Language

Nonstop sexual commentary and anatomical slang are extremely crass, and further aggravated by a dozen blasphemies, more than 40 s-words and 120 f-words. There’s also an obscene gesture. Audiences get showered by other profanities as well, several spoken by young children.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Ben and his slacker buddies are stoners frequently shown drinking beer, smoking joints or taking bong hits. Their creative tools, such as a gas mask used to keep smoke in, are played for laughs. Weed is prescribed for a hangover (“It’s the best medicine. It fixes everything”). Ben’s dad endorses his son’s pot-smoking, advising him only to avoid pills.

During a what-happens-in-Vegas-stays-in-Vegas excursion, Ben and Pete mix alcohol and hallucinogenic mushrooms. Characters joke about smoking crack and giving kids meth.

Alcohol is consumed at bars and clubs. Couples drink wine and liquor. Ben and Alison get blitzed and end up in bed. (The next morning he can’t even remember having had sex.) Before a night of clubbing, Debbie announces, “I’ve had about three Red Bulls in the last 15 minutes.”

Other Negative Elements

Stunts begging to be imitated by bored adolescents include boxing with gloves that have been set on fire. Some Farrelly brothers-style humor—most notably a mean-spirited Stephen Hawking impression—is in remarkably poor taste. Guys discuss intentionally passing gas on each other’s pillows to spread pink eye. Jokes refer to defecation.

Debbie flirts to feel attractive, and tells her sister that the key to marriage is beating a partner into emotional submission (she berates Pete, publicly). Pete is equally down on the institution at times, telling Ben, “Marriage is like an unfunny, tense version of Everybody Loves Raymond . But it doesn’t last 22 minutes; it lasts forever.” He lies to Debbie to sneak out with the guys.

They could’ve called this comedy One Crazy Night or We’re Having a Baby . But Knocked Up, while abrasive, is actually more fitting—a shot across the bow preparing audiences for the level of offensive content they’ll encounter. A cavalier attitude toward casual sex is just the beginning. From turning intercourse into a spectator sport to glamorizing drug use to showcasing gratuitous female nudity and 120 f-words, Apatow takes full advantage of the R rating.

A few warm moments and pearls of wisdom about valuing life and family, and accepting responsibility are great. But vile humor begins at conception and remains part of the film’s DNA. That turns Knocked Up into comedic porn … with a message.

Bob Smithouser

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A romantic comedy is, in effect, a comedy that is romantic. Unfortunately, Judd Apatow’s overlong and unnecessarily indulgent Knocked Up is neither romantic, nor particularly a comedy. It does have funny moments, of course, and there are a few well-thought-out jokes that get a good laugh, but it is not really a comedy. Instead, Knocked Up is a drama about a slacker accidentally getting a woman pregnant and then having to rise to the challenge of becoming a father.

The film begins with and to some degree focuses upon the female lead, played by Katherine Heigl. She puts in the effort, but a lack of range makes Heigl’s character seem wooden. I think the writing is also at fault here, as I don’t want to blame Heigl for playing a two-dimensional character when that is exactly how her character is written. She is a career-focused woman, but other than that her personality is undefined, leaving Heigl lost in the tide of the male-heavy script.

Despite Heigl’s character being the initial focus, and the lead for the first half of the film, this is not a film about her at all. Seth Rogen plays the slacker who knocks her up, and really he is the lead here, with Heigl in a supporting role akin to his slacker friends. In fact, Heigl’s sister, played by Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann, gets a better-written character, yet her on-screen husband, played by Paul Rudd, gets considerably more screen time and much more of a character arc than Heigl and Mann combined.

Knocked Up is the story of a man-child going from boy to man when faced with unexpected responsibility, through the fairly obvious and routine seven stages of grief as he mourns his single slacker life. Upon discovering Heigl is pregnant, Rogen goes from denial to guilt, then anger, through depression, to an upward turn, reconstruction, and finally acceptance. The real question that should be asked is not whether this is a good structure for a film, but whether we really need yet another film about a man growing up when really it is Heigl’s character that faces the greatest struggle here. Rogen simply needs to take responsibility for his actions, whereas Heigl is faced with her entire life plan being altered just when she is getting her career as a media personality on track. She appears by far the more interesting character of the two, but by focusing on Rogen’s slacker Apatow shies away from what could have been an interesting and profound comedic drama.

The other issue with this film, and for me the more problematic, was the act of getting pregnant itself. Rogen is struggling to put a condom on, and in a moment of “hilarious” misunderstanding, Heigl demands he hurry up, which he mistakes for forgoing the condom altogether. This, technically, is an act of sexual assault, as Heigl does not consent to the condom being removed. Playing it for laughs, then dismissing it after a minor argument when the pregnancy is discovered, feels cheap. Worse, it makes the whole film sordid, and spoils any positivity that may come out of it.

Overall, Knocked Up is too long, too meandering, and too unsure of what it is about and what story it is trying to tell to be any good. It is a by-product of Apatow’s previous success with The 40-Year-Old Virgin, where he has been given more money and less oversight. The result is an indulgence, not a success. It had so much potential, but much like Rogen’s stoner, it is mostly wasted.

Privacy Overview

Knocked Up Review

24 Aug 2007

129 minutes

Long before it became the sleeper hit of the American summer, Knocked Up had been championed as the sleeper hit of the American summer. It may, practically speaking, have been designed to be the sleeper hit of the American summer. Such is the predominance of the marketing man in the slipstreams of Hollywood that a relatively low-budget smash hit (at the time of writing it’s made $95,000,000) that no-one sees coming can be fully brainstormed at the concept stage. Knocked Up, the follow-up from the team that brought you The 40 Year-Old Virgin, was predestined to shine. And so it does.

As cynically stage-managed as that sounds, the movie feels the opposite. It’s loose-limbed and unpredictable; there’s something leftfield in its DNA, like a slacker version of Woody Allen without the neurotic noodling. It’s everything a sleeper ought to be, because it frankly shouldn’t work this well.  After all, we’re talking low-low concept: what happens when a pretty go-getter from pop-flabby entertainment channel E! under-scores with a lolloping stoner who may be treasurably sweet but whose career aspiration is to launch a website cataloguing flashes of celebrity skin (he’s blissfully unaware this has long since been done).

It’s a one-night stand fuelled by Everclear and endorphins after she lands a swell promotion, and he lands her. After the bumpy muddle of self-conscious sex, they both land a big problem. That’s the Apatow revolution - his is not a film about how the klutz wins the princess, but about what happens when the princess ends up with klutz junior gestating inside of her.

Director-writer-producer Apatow, who’s drifted in from managing various Will Ferrell-athons and a pair of TV flops to hottest-thing-right-now, has found a way to have his cake and eat it. From a very literal conception to delivery, the film seesaws between outrageous and sweet, funny and touching, goofball and grown-up.  He’s quite happy to pepper the script with pop-cultural wise-arsing, a kind of Quentin Tarantino jibber-jabber for the dweeb belt. “If any of us get laid tonight, it’s because of Eric Bana in Munich,” burps one of Stone’s fellow schlubs. Although the gag-bag posse of Jewish homies burbling comic-book references and rock-dude speak is the film’s least engaging thread. There’s also no stinting on gross-out, if with a uniquely gynaecological spin - the term “crowning” takes on a very graphic reality that has nothing to do with Aragorn’s destiny. Yet, impossibly, the film is never coarse or mean or dumb.

Along with star Seth Rogen (his sometime co-writer/muse), Apatow has pitched his genial circus upon a delightful hinterland between glassy Hollywood fairy tale and the peculiar foibles of real life: objective daydreaming, if you will. In 40 Year-Old Virgin, Steve Carell’s nebbish man-child was not a stooge but a lost soul, his eventual pairing (not to say uncorking) with Catherine Keener felt idealistic and normal. In Apatow’s TV variant, Freaks And Geeks, when the computer nerd wins the cheerleader it is strangely acceptable. But it’s hard to decipher exactly which way the director’s sensibility is flowing: does he make the dream-nonsense of movies human, or does he locate the soft glow of celluloid in the patterns of real life?

Yet before geekdom puts up bunting and settles down for a Grey’s Anatomy marathon, the film does have a warning - with great cheekbones comes great responsibility. The message, plumb for the proper-living ethos of our times, is that if you want the girl, you better get busy growing up.

The innocent proposals of the movie-world are about to get a morning after (if not a morning-after pill). That’s the whole point of Rogen’s Ben Stone. He’s got the shrill curls of a Brillo pad, the cuddly paunch of lapsed gym-membership, and the slack gaze of the bonged-up, but he also projects the candid longing for wisdom of “the guy girls fuck over”. This is not a study of male heebie-jeebies when maturity calls, but a guy struggling to decipher the rulebook for a game he has never managed to join. Somewhere inside the outer child, the inner-adult is making himself heard. It’s a journey, via pre-natal classes, couple dinners and the politics of requesting doggy-style when your partner’s six months pregnant, to a kind of self-awareness.

And contrary to the splurges of juvenilia that Sandler or Murphy annually dollop out in the name of box-office, the film is even better at demystifying women. If anything, Katherine Heigl is the performance of the movie - the poster girl facing the grubby business of practical parenting with a partner intent on totting up the naked breasts in Wild Things. She is obviously a stunner (the contrast with Rogen’s wobbly slacker is crucial), but she strips away the veneer of a thousand facials to find a very credible anxiety in Alison.

She - and indeed the ‘they’ she will have to become with Ben - is immediately contrasted with her sister’s loosening marriage. Alison hasn’t exactly got all of life’s necessities sussed herself - she’s lodging in her sister’s pool-house and getting an object lesson in the blunt realities of family life straight from the breakfast table. It’s another of Apatow’s gifts - giving care and attention to his secondary characters - and Leslie Mann (his actual wife) and Paul Rudd (another fellow campaigner) gleefully rise to the challenge of pecking at one another like angry sparrows, keeping things bitingly funny when the leads must get on with more sensitive issues. They are less seasoned parents than warring nations.

The shrewish Debbie has reached the point where her looks can no longer carry her, while Pete keeps flitting to unknown haunts and might be having an affair. He’s not; instead it’s the solace of male bonding he’s after - a fantasy baseball league - and they prove a sly reversal of the lead couple’s path to maturity: Debbie’s reverting to a self-absorbed flirt, Pete’s going geek.

If the film doesn’t lean into the rip-snorting laugh like a Dodgeball, it’s because Apatow is after more from his comedy - to decipher the sexual politics of our anxious age. Too optimistic a soul to engage with anything truly caustic (in the end, his film is just a bit more movie than reality), he’s ringing the bell for something quaintly square - parenthood, relationships, the absurd and unpredictable situations that somehow, magnificently join us together.

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This Is The Best Part Of Knocked Up

The brilliance of knocked up is rooted in its cheesy 2000s soundtrack.

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By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

If you want to hate on Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up — and the anti-crowd-pleaser contingent will surely ding it — then get ready to be drowned out by the sound of laughter from the rest of us. I’ll admit there’s something sitcom-trite about the setup. Idiot-boy Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) knocks up gorgeous Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) on a drunken first date and forges a truce with his lifelong enemy: maturity.

Talk about buzz kill. But Apatow, as he proved with his 2005 directing debut, The 40-Year-Old Virgin , and the sharp wit of his TV work on Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared , transcends the usual multiplex traps ( Delta Farce , anyone?) by anchoring what’s funny to what’s real. Knocked Up runs for 132 minutes — way long for a laffer — but there’s a reason that Apatow is the new king of comedy: He won’t settle for skin-deep. His jokes double back after the first laugh and hit you where it hurts.

Behavioral observation is Apatow’s comic weapon of choice. Watch Rogen’s Ben in his natural habitat — a California crash pad he shares with four other stoners, played to slacker perfection by Apatow veterans Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. Ben is Peter Pan to these lost boys who pingpong pop-culture references between half-assed attempts to build a tits-obsessed Web site called Flesh of the Stars. Ben can expound expertly on the tough Jews in Steven Spielberg’s Munich and why Matthew Fox is so lame on Lost. Just don’t ask him to grow up.

In all the right ways for farce, Ben is all wrong for Alison. She has everything he doesn’t: beauty, brains and ambition. Alison has just moved up the ranks at E! from assistant to on-camera interviewer of the stars. (Ryan Seacrest is a hoot, dawg, doing an uproarious sendup of himself.) It’s Alison’s promotion that gets her drunk and in bed with Ben, who misinterprets her “Just do it!” as an invitation to forget the condom. And so Knocked Up is born.

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The movie, a mismatched-love story, is a true child of its time. Everyone talks, no one communicates. She intends to have the baby as a single mom; he intends to offer assistance. Ha! She doesn’t get much help from her take-charge sister, Debbie (sharply delivered by Leslie Mann, Mrs. Apatow), a mother of two who can’t see why her marriage to Pete (the invaluably hilarious Paul Rudd) is falling apart. Ben and Pete develop a friendship, allowing Rogen and Rudd to riff on their “know how I know you’re gay?” routine from Virgin . But the actors cut deeper now, managing to be hilarious and heartfelt on a mind-altering trip to Vegas.

The sisters head out to a club, only to hear the bouncer (droll Craig Robinson) reject Debbie as “too old” and Alison as “too pregnant.” Apatow is a master at locating the “ouch” factor when the sweet bird of youth starts to lose airspeed.

Knocked Up juggles a lot of characters, and even the smallest roles — SNL ‘s Kristen Wiig as the sly bee-yatch who keeps riding Alison at the office, and Ken Jeong as an ob-gyn with a penchant for vagina monologues — make indelible impressions.

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Rogen and Heigl step up to the plate with a tougher task from Coach Apatow: Nail every laugh and the emotions underlying them. No worries. They knock it out of the park. Heigl, the Grey’s Anatomy stunner, is an exciting new star with real acting chops and a no-bull quality that ups her potential. And Rogen is dynamite as the shlub who’s surprised to find more in himself than the need to eat, fart and fuck. The sex scene in which he props himself on top of Alison’s swollen belly and nearly faints at the thought of his penis poking away at the fetus is one for the comedy time capsule.

Still, it’s the film’s unexpected gravity — Apatow knows taking responsibility requires a trade-off in personal freedom — that provides the staying power. The “what now?” ending (shades of The Graduate ) may frustrate audiences, but it also signals that Apatow is a top-rank filmmaker out to do more than create the summer’s best comedy. Knocked Up shows he’s playing for keeps.

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Netflix US: Knocked Up, Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl's comedy, is the new Top 5

“ Knocked Up ” is a romantic comedy directed by Judd Apatow and released in 2007, which has returned to trend this week on the American Netflix catalog, where it ranks in the Top 5 among the most viewed.

The film is known for its irreverent humor and realistic approach to the complexities of relationships and parenthood. It has received multiple positive reviews, particularly for the performances of Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl .

Undoubtedly, it has been well received by critics and audiences alike, standing out for its intelligent comedy and authentic characters. So, it’s no surprise that it has come back to life, thanks to platform users.

Knocked Up ranked No. 5 movie on Netflix US

“ Knocked Up ” is the Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl drama that has been shining as the fifth most-watched movie on Netflix in the United States, competing with other productions like “ Megan Leavey ” with Kate Mara and Tom Felton.

According to Flix Patrol, the specialized platform metrics site, the title has been gaining hundreds of new views in a matter of days, and American users have made it a strong trend.

In addition to the two main stars, the cast was filled with talent and prominent figures from the industry. Leslie Mann plays Debbie, Alison’s sister and Pete’s wife, portrayed by Paul Rudd .

Jason Segel portrays Jason, one of Ben’s roommates and close friends. As if that wasn’t enough, Jay Baruchel appears as Jay, another close friend. Meanwhile, Jonah Hill takes on the role of Jonah, who works at the same adult company.

What is ‘Knocked Up’ about?

The story follows Ben Stone, a carefree young man living a life without responsibilities and working for an adult entertainment company. One day, he meets Alison Scott, a television presenter, at a nightclub, and they end up spending the night together casually.

A few weeks later, Alison discovers she is pregnant as a result of her encounter with Ben. Despite being virtually strangers and not having an established relationship, they decide to try to make things work for the sake of the baby they are expecting.

The narrative depicts their journey as they face the challenges of their relationship, the unplanned pregnancy, and the prospect of starting a family together. Of course, the film includes dramatic elements, unexpected twists, and plenty of comedy in this ironic delivery.

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• Netflix's Heartbreak High reaches Top 8 series worldwide
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I Just Rewatched Knocked Up — & I’m Madder Than Ever Over Movies’ Portrayals Of Birth

Terrifying pregnant people everywhere (and their partners) since 2007.

It's an iconic film when it comes to pregnancy movies , and one that birthing parents today no doubt watched as they formed their own views of what childbearing, birthing, and even crowning might be like. But here's the problem: The 2007 romantic comedy Knocked Up is straight terrifying to new parents and their partners , especially vulnerable ones wondering just what this whole birth process is all about. I discovered as much upon rewatching it as a mother.

Producer Judd Apatow said in a 2007 interview that he was looking for reality. "I just wanted to show what is real," he says. "I show a crowning shot because if I don't show that, then I am just doing an episode of Friends . I am trying to make you feel the pain of that experience because it is the most intense moment in people's lives, and I had to do something that hadn't been done before." Well, mission accomplished, Apatow, but at what expense? Anne Hathaway reportedly turned down the role before Heigl took it due to the graphic childbirth scene. She explained in a 2012 Allure interview that, having not experienced childbirth herself, she didn't know how she'd feel about it on the other side of giving birth. I doubt she'd feel good about it now that she's a mom. As a mom of soon-to-be five, I know I feel weird looking back on how hilarious I thought it was.

Studies show that half of pregnant people in the US are already scared of childbirth. One in 10 describe that fear as "crippling," in fact. Researchers explain that irrational fear around birth can affect the whole pregnancy, complicating labor, leading to difficulties bonding with the baby, and even increasing the risk of postpartum depression. So, Knocked Up and other portrayals of birth need to keep this in mind when creating birth scenes — it's not just an easy place to get a laugh from audiences.

Here's why Knocked Up 's portrayal of birth is a little more messed up than we remember it the first time.

An Idealistic Beginning

In the earliest labor scenes , Ben Stone (played by Seth Rogen) rushes back to find mom-in-labor Allison Scott (played by Katherine Heigl) in the bubble bath, with candles and music playing softly. Scott is actively trying to calm herself down and recommends her partner do the same, skipping over a fight he wants to "reconcile" and asking him to call her doctor instead.

This part of the birth is all of our ideal early labor plans and wishes, and any partner who has had to call the doctor in labor probably chuckled through Stone's relatable reaction to finding out the doctor was out of town. "Hey Doc Howard, Ben Stone calling. Guess what the f*ck is up? Allison's going into labor, and you are not f*cking here. No, where are you right now? You're at a f*cking bar mitzvah in San Francisco!" he goes on to basically threaten the doc's life. Hyperbolic, sure, but relatable — why are our docs always out of town?!

This part isn't really the issue, though we all know it's highly unlikely that our partner not only read "all the baby books" he did and started asking her super detailed questions about her bloody show (even if somewhat inaccurate), how far apart contractions were, and more. But we'll give Apatow a pass on this scene — he tried.

The Unsupportive, Verbally Abusive Doctor

Arguably one of the most comical characters in the movie, Ken Jeong places Dr. Kuni, the exceptionally inconvenienced on-call OBGYN who shows up livid to be there at Scott's birth. While the show is hyperbolizing the doctor's patronizing, unsupportive, and straight verbally abusive demeanor, it hits a nerve for anyone who has given birth. First, she can't access her own doctor. Then, she's stuck with someone she doesn't know or trust, who gets in not-so-subtle digs meant to hurt her feelings along the way.

This dynamic shows the partner that instead of having a trusted provider leading the way, they too might have to take the doctor into the hall and tell them off, as Rogen eventually does. Hilarious, of course, except that people learning about the birth process might already have a serious distrust of doctors, an essential aspect of making labor doable and safe.

A Gallup poll revealed that only 15% of people report having a "great deal" of confidence in the medical system. With this number so low already, the last thing we need is more portrayal of doctors who are far from on their patient's side, especially during childbirth. This also points to the shift in normalizing midwifery care for delivery, as women are three times more likely to be satisfied with midwife care than OB-led care, one study shows. Portraying doctors as the enemy exacerbates an already severe problem in the birthing system.

The Straight Terrifying Birth Itself

She screams. She begs for an epidural but can't get one. She sweats and pants and groans and clenches the bed like a rabid animal. She chews out anyone who comes to check on her, screaming, "Get out!" (OK, that's relatable). But the portrayal of a birth that's out of control, happening to you, damages all the potential for achieving the opposite type of birth. All the hypnobirthing podcasts in the world aren't going to undo that image or wipe it from young people's heads, who will carry it into birth with them years later.

The unwanted visitor comes out to meet the friends in the waiting room, and we get hit with another harmful stereotype — "Try getting a boner now," one of the friends says. The idea that the birthing woman is no longer sexy after she's been through birth feeds into fear further. Instead of propagating these fears for women already enduring changing bodies and body images, let's look at the facts. For example, two-thirds of men find their partner even sexier after having a baby, one UK study showed . In the first six months post-childbirth, moms already face a barrage of sexual and intimacy challenges, from physical pain to exhaustion to increased need for affection and understanding, research confirms. The last thing they need is movies joking about how much less sexy they'll be.

Ultimately, we could say it's just a movie. Just a comedy. One that has remained exceptionally entertaining for decades, and will remain so. But it's also part of a narrative around childbirth that isn't good enough for moms, their birthing partners, and future generations of those who will become "Knocked Up."

This article was originally published on March 27, 2023

Knocked Up (United States, 2007)

For Knocked Up , writer/director Judd Apatow's sophomore feature, the filmmaker has elected to follow pretty much the same formula that made his debut, The 40 Year Old Virgin , such a success. Considering how winning the formula is, it's a safe approach. The often ribald humor is genuinely funny. The characters are endearing. And there's something warm and sweet about the underlying storyline. Apatow is clearly a romantic, even if there's a profane edge to his "love conquers all" worldview. Other filmmakers embarking into the comedy minefield could learn a thing or two from him. He's two for two.

Knocked Up opens by introducing us to the oil-and-water protagonists. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is an up-and-coming twentysomething whose professionalism and sunny personality have earned her a promotion at the E! Entertainment network to an on-camera interviewer. The appropriately named Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a laid-back slacker whose definition of "work" is watching movies for nude scenes by celebrities that will be used in a database for a Mr. Skin-type website. When he's not doing that, he's either smoking pot or hanging out. On the night of Alison's promotion, she goes out to a club where she runs into Ben. A number of drinks later, the two are rolling around on her bed, and that's where there's a misunderstanding about whether he should wear a condom. Two months later, it becomes clear that there will be more to the Alison and Ben story than a one-night stand. Morning sickness leads to a positive pregnancy test and Alison contacts Ben to give him the news. She decides to keep the baby, despite advice to the contrary from her mother, and he agrees to support her. They decide that it might be a good idea to get to know one another better since one way or another, their lives will be entwined.

In casting Alison, Apatow initially went with Anne Hathaway. When she left the production for "creative differences," he chose one of the hottest young TV stars, Katherine Heigl (who I still remember as the 14-year old from the Gerard Depardieu horror, My Father the Hero ). Heigl is perfect for the role: fetching, likeable, and energetic. For Ben, Apatow pulled an actor out of his usual pool - Seth Rogen, who was a sidekick in The 40 Year Old Virgin and also appeared in the TV series Freaks and Geeks , for which Apatow was both a writer and director. Rogen does a solid job presenting Ben's character arc from charismatic, irresponsible loser to assertive, responsible father-to-be.

The supporting cast includes Leslie Mann as Alison's older sister, Debbie. Mann actually has some of the film's most memorable moments, including a profane tirade at a club doorman who won't let her in because she's too old. Mann shows more presence in Knocked Up than in any of her previous films. The always reliable Paul Rudd is Debbie's husband, Pete, who's the perfect picture of a guy whose stressful life has gotten the better of him.

At its heart, Knocked Up is as much a romance as it is a comedy. The film is surprisingly touching, especially as it chronicles the attempts of Alison and Ben to find common ground. These are two people who could fall in love - who want to fall in love - if circumstances will give them the opportunity. The secondary story, which contrasts Debbie and Pete's relationship with that of Alison and Ben, is well handled and doesn't feel like something that was shoehorned in at the last minute to beef up the running time (which is a little long at 128 minutes).

Knocked Up includes plenty of laugh-aloud moments and many more that generate subdued chuckles. Apatow understands what audiences find funny and, more importantly, knows the criticality of comic timing (something increasingly rare in Hollywood). A lot of his jokes work because they are delivered perfectly. The dialogue is sharp, the characters are developed as more than props for gags and pratfalls, and there's a respect for the audience's intelligence that is often not evident in summer movies. Memorable moments include Ryan Seacrest doing a self-parody that William Shatner would love, a few truths about pink-eye, and a delivery room sequence that goes further than I can recall seeing in any other mainstream feature.

It's hard to say whether Apatow has grown with Knocked Up , but he hasn't regressed. The humor is just as edgy and R-rated as it was in The 40 Year Old Virgin , and it's likely that those who enjoyed the previous movie will be as entertained by this one. If more movies were like this, going to see the majority of Hollywood's so-called "comedies" wouldn't be such a dull and joyless experience. Knocked Up could be one of the summer of 2007's sleeper hits. It certainly deserves the distinction.

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• Role Models (2008)

Movie Review: Knocked Up

The three funniest movies of the last three years are without a doubt: Borat, 40-Year-Old-Virgin and now Knocked Up. And director Judd Apatow was involved in two of the aforementioned films. And many people do know this, but Judd met with Sacha Baron Cohen several years ago about making a Borat movie. How crazy is that?

I first became aware of Apatow's comedy with the short lived cult television show Freaks & Geeks. I later realized that Apatow was behind The Cable Guy, a very underrated dark comedy starring Jim Carrey. But enough about Apatow, let's talk about Knocked Up.

Knocked Up stars Seth Rogen as Ben Stone, a stoner with hapless dreams who has been living off a government paycheck who has a one night stand. Eight weeks later Alison Scott (played by the very cute Katherine Heigl) shows up with the news that she is pregnant. So basically we have the romantic comedy in reverse. Can two opposites attract after the fact?

This movie has it all: unexpected cameos, so many hilarious quo-tables ("It's not herpes if it's everywhere") and the laugh out loud tentpole moments (one that rivals the "franks and beans" moment from There's Something About Mary). But the reason this film succeeds is the accessibility of the concept and story. The film compares the differences between married life and being in a relationship. The conversations between the friends and couples are so eerily natural. And there is this argument scene that takes place between Paul Rudd's character and his wife. It's scripted and executed so perfectly that it divides the audience by gender. And that's a tough accomplishment.

It's also nice to see Seth Rogen finally get a lead role. He's not your typical lead star, and may-be that's the point. He's a guy that reminds me of a lot of my friends. And it's not just Rogen and his character, but also the inclusion of his burnout friends. We finally get to see a real group of misfits on the screen, and not the usual Hollywood stereotypical friend grouping.

And Knocked Up is the rare comedy that transcends laughs to become a heartwarming story worthy of your two hours and ten bucks. In the age of home entertainment, downloading torrents, and netflix, there is a value in a theatrical comedy experience like this. Go see the movie on opening weekend!

That said, while leaving the theater it hit me that while I very much love both of Apatow's recent efforts, I strongly disagree with the overall themes. I'm a geek and a fanboy, and 40-Year-Old-Virgin is about giving up your childhood hobbies and toys for a girl to accept you. Sure, in the end she allows him to may-be open up a collectables store, but isn't he still selling off his entire collection? I find this appalling. And Knocked Up is about Ben having to man up, let go of his independent internet website dreams, get a real job, so that Alison will accept him. Sure, Ben's website wasn't the most thought out idea. And sure, it's not like he was really working hard at it. But the idea that a guy must give up his dreams and become a corporate drone to earn the respect of a girl sickens me. And may-be this is just because I turned a website dream into the website you are now reading. I loved movies and was able to turn that into a career. I now watch and write about films for a living, and it was only because I took that unconventional leap. And honestly, I'm not some great writer (I'm sure that's obvious to you by now). I just have a passion for the subject, and a drive to talk about the things that interest me, and hopefully will interest you. And I know I've gone on a tangent, but anyone can work for themselves, they just need to have the right idea and work at it. And may-be I'm just a guy who can't accept compromising one's self for a relationship. And may-be that's the sole reasons I'm not currently in a relationship.

But the funny thing is, despite these strong feelings I have against the them of Apatow's last two films, it doesn't effect my enjoyment. And that is a testament to the movies themselves.

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Reviews in chronological order (Total 10 reviews)

Unknownusers, submitted by schmeissponce on 25/08/2007 10:44.

25 August 2007 10:44AM

• Recommend? ( 1 )
• Report abuse

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Submitted by Drumbags on 25/08/2007 22:29

25 August 2007 10:29PM

• Recommend? ( 0 )

Submitted by Peter Zen on 27/08/2007 15:57

27 August 2007 3:57PM

Submitted by Leon James on 31/08/2007 18:06

31 August 2007 6:06PM

Submitted by Morry Jaffe on 31/08/2007 19:51

31 August 2007 7:51PM

Submitted by Ross E on 31/08/2007 23:30

31 August 2007 11:30PM

Submitted by TPKingston on 13/09/2007 11:44

13 September 2007 11:44AM

Submitted on 14/09/2007 05:42

14 September 2007 5:42AM

Submitted by Eddie Haribold on 11/09/2007 20:32

9 November 2007 8:32PM

DanielFrisbee

What a load of shit this was..

As an unemployed male who occasionally takes drugs and has a half decent sense of humour, (take that on trust), perhaps this film would appeal to me...?

I hated it, sex jokes can be funny, but jokes that use crass sexual language and attitudes are not funny by default, even less so when they never end. The general attitude towards women and sex was grotesque in this film. And the fact that these elements masquerade as making this film alternative, the film is utterly mainstream. A better ending would have been if the leading lady decimated the useless dull impregnator and found a worthwhile life partner.

Really a depressing state of affairs that young people are having their porned up perception of reality perpetuated into faux adulthood. I'm aware the film makers are in on this, and whether for them the ultimate laugh is that they get away with it is the only explanation I can think of for why they made such a shit film.

9 April 2012 11:14PM

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Movie Review: Knocked Up (2007)

• General Disdain
• Movie Reviews
• 10 responses
• --> June 11, 2007

Yeah, I know. I’m late to the game — everyone one calling themselves a critic has seen and reported on Knocked Up already. Each and everyone one of them has seemingly given it rave reviews too. They also all gave shiny, glowing reviews to “ Hostel: Part II ” and we all know how wrong they got that one . . . don’t we? Therefore, I felt it was my obligation to tell you, even if it is belated, whether these people are actually telling the truth or just buying into the brouhaha.

And here it is. Knocked Up isn’t nearly as funny as all these folks are telling you. That by no means is saying that it isn’t a funny movie, it’s saying it should have been 100-times funnier. “But how can this be,” you ask, “Isn’t this written and directed by Judd Apatow, the guy who brought us the classic ‘ The 40 Year Old Virgin ’?” It most certainly is. He has undoubtedly come up with another concept that for all intents and purposes can be funny as fuck.

It’s a story about how two people on completely separate courses in life intersect with each other and ultimately try and meld those paths together. Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a perpetual frat-boy loser (putting it mildly) without a goddamn thing going for him. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a hot, up-and-coming Hollywood reporter for the E! Television network. Their paths cross at a local dance club when Alison and her sister Debbie (Leslie Mann) and Ben and his 4 uninspired friends (Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill and Martin Starr) run into each other. Add two parts alcohol, one part atmosphere and Ben becomes the lucky recipient of a good ‘ole banging. Strip away the luck when, eight weeks later, Alison calls to say she is pregnant. The “hilarity” ensues as these two incompatible people try and form a relationship.

I put the word hilarity in quotes because as I said before, Knocked Up doesn’t come close to reaching it’s full potential. I had fully expected the bulk of the humor to come from the differences between both characters as they found themselves mired in situations they had no control over. Or more importantly, in situations they absolutely had no desire to be in. And while there are a few moments of that (gynecologist visits, shopping for baby gear) there didn’t seem to be a lot of focus on the outstanding issue at hand — the pregnancy!

Most of the jokes were centered around the interactions of side characters; most notably Debbie and her husband Pete (Paul Rudd, “ Reno 911!: Miami ”). These two, stuck in a rocky marriage, provide the tit for tat, you’re a worthless asshole routine I expected from the stars of the movie. They’re so good at it, I was getting flashbacks of my wife barking incessantly at me. The only difference is I was able to laugh heartedly at their situation! The other jokes landed squarely on the tried and true college humor. Guys acting like four-year olds who like to smoke pot, drink heavily and lay around the house, all the while saying stupid shit at the most inopportune moments. I’ll admit that it is funny for a few scenes, but I found it wears thin rather quickly, just like the tires of an Indy car (good for a lap or two, then there needs to be a change).

All in all, even though Knocked Up doesn’t live up to the hype, it is still a decent comedy. And with all the horror, poorly directed dramas and glut of trilogies in theaters now, it’s just what the doctor ordered. I’ve warned you though, the laughs won’t come in droves but they will come. And all things considered, that’s all that really matters, isn’t it?

Tagged: friends , pregnancy , relationship , reporter , stoner

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

Movie Review: Ghosted (2023) Movie Review: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) Movie Review: Fantasy Island (2020) Movie Review: Snatched (2017) Movie Review: Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) Movie Review: ABCs of Death 2 (2014) Movie Review: Life After Beth (2014)

'Movie Review: Knocked Up (2007)' have 10 comments

July 21, 2007 @ 8:05 am just-4-teens

judging by the trailer this film looks like it will be worth watching?

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November 6, 2007 @ 1:33 pm Atomic Popcorn

Not totally my type of humor but a solid , semi humorous film

November 13, 2007 @ 9:42 pm Jan Bay

I’m no writer, but as the picture moved along I found myself thinking, “If they had done (this or that) in that situation it would have been funnier that what they wrote into the story.” Either I don’t get it or the director doesn’t get me. I’m not sure what the case may be.

Knocked Up was funny, but not hilariously so. I don’t find sophomoric behavior by grown men that funny, I suppose. I can only laugh so much at stoner’s vacant stares. It’s funny and touching enough to keep you watching, but I had trouble liking some of the characters.

November 18, 2007 @ 2:29 am Sirius Lee

I decided to watch this on the strength of it having Katherine Heigl as one of its leads. Little did I know that this movie would end up making me a Seth Rogen fan. While Judd Apatow may have slipped a bit since The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, nevertheless, is still a good, solid effort.

September 21, 2008 @ 7:43 am Maya

is every american still in wonderland? worst humor. 1,5 actors w talent. the rest worth shooting in da head unless they change career path. American movie r getting worse. can’t believe u guys liked it. u all in wonderland!!! brainwashed like kids!

P.S. Spam protection: Sum of 1+10!!! u must b kidding me!!!

February 6, 2009 @ 10:24 pm beats

I rated the movie note bad, my girl wanted to watch it on our movie night are home. Got a few lauhs out of it, but glad I got netflix uuase I woulda wanted my money back.

October 10, 2009 @ 3:06 pm Mello

I thought the movie was pretty cool,

November 8, 2009 @ 5:49 pm Instrumentals

Not a cinema movie by any doubt, but great when your home and bored and nothing to do.

December 7, 2009 @ 3:46 pm wasim

I liked this film, I usually like films that Seth Rogen is in, I enjoy his style of humor. This film is is one to watch, but don’t expect it to be any more than just a simple comedy.

May 2, 2012 @ 1:28 pm jmo

This is by far one of my favorite 2007 movie I have seen.. I watched it about 10x last night.

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‘knocked up’: film review.

Sex is still funny in Judd Apatow's follow-up to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" that plows the same fields -- balancing outrageousness with sentiment, pairing men-children with mature women -- without feeling at all like a retread.

By John DeFore

John DeFore

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AUSTIN — Sex is still funny in “Knocked Up,” Judd Apatow’s follow-up to “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” that plows the same fields — balancing outrageousness with sentiment, pairing men-children with mature women — without feeling at all like a retread. Although first-date couples might shy away from the subject matter, the film’s appeal and particularly its word-of-mouth should be as strong as its predecessor’s.

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Seth Rogen, supplier of perfectly delivered zingers in earlier Apatow projects, moves with ease into star position here, playing an unemployed twentysomething happy to coast on a small savings until the last dollar is spent. Comfortable in the dope-clouded hovel he rents with similarly stunted buddies, he is completely mismatched for the career-minded Alison (Katherine Heigl), who shares one drunken night with him and immediately regrets it.

When he learns that she’s pregnant, though, Rogen’s Ben Stone is a mensch, committing to give any support Alison decides she wants. Not many couples spend their getting-to-know-you phase shopping for Baby Bjorns and cribs, but Ben is a charmer, and the film settles into a sweet, sincere mode after the dorm-room comedy that kicked things off.

Alison lives with her sister’s family, affording Ben a glimpse of what he’s in for if she decides to keep him around: Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (Apatow’s wife, the drunk who spewed shellfish on Steve Carell in “Virgin”) play sniping spouses whose two daughters (also members of the Apatow clan) are the only thing keeping them together; in male-bonding moments with Rogen, Rudd is hilariously fatalistic about marriage. The in-laws supply some of the emotional angst a romantic comedy demands, carrying the weight, while Rogen and Heigl are still deciding whether they’re a couple.

The script and marketing materials have a bit of fun with Rogen’s burly build and plain face, but he’s wholly believable as a guy a beautiful woman might (perhaps after an initial shock) fall for. He’s also more than funny enough to carry a feature. Heigl sells her character’s desperate indecision, having trouble only with a third-act spat that on the page is a little more drastic than the preceding action would suggest it should be.

It will be interesting to watch how the family-values crowd responds to the film. Should they denounce it for the crude title and sexual attitudes, hope kids see it as a terrifying cautionary tale, or be content that, having sinned, the protagonists do the right thing? Apatow’s gleefully raunchy movies are, in an odd and charming way, extremely family-friendly.

This review was written for the festival screening of “Knocked Up.” 

KNOCKED UP Universal Pictures Universal Pictures/Apatow Prods. Credits: Screenwiter-director: Judd Apatow Producers: Judd Apatow, Shauna Robertson, Clayton Townsend Executive producers: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen Director of photography: Eric Alan Edwards Production designer: Jefferson Sage Music: Joe Henry, Loudon Wainwright III Costume designer: Debra McGuire Editors: Craig Alpert, Brent White Cast: Ben Stone: Seth Rogen Alison Scott: Katherine Heigl Debbie: Leslie Mann Pete: Paul Rudd Jason: Jason Segel Martin: Martin Starr Jay: Jay Baruchel Jonah: Jonah Hill Running time — 132 minutes MPAA rating: R

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