Zack & Miri

I am a Kevin Smith fan. I have enjoyed every one of his movies, with the exception of Jersey Girl, which I haven't seen. Mall Rats isn't bad; it's just not good. When it was released, it suffered from too high expectations. When I watched it, my expectations were so low that I was pleasantly surprised. Even so, Terri liked it more than I did. She's all about the fart and poo jokes.

Given that, I was predisposed to like Zack and Miri Make a Porno. For all the raunchy humor and bawdy subject matter, it's rather a sweet little movie. And again, I find myself saying "If you like this kind of movie or if you're predisposed to see it, you'll like it. If you don't, then you won't."

Two flaws stand out to me:

1. The plot is predictable. It follows a familiar story arc of romantic comedies. Though I knew this going in, I was hoping for a twist other than the porno angle. I often complain about plots which can be solved if people simple talked to each other, and we certainly find this here. But it is a staple of the genre, so I'm willing to give it a pass.
2. The makeup of Miri, played by Elizabeth Banks, is too perfect. While I acknowledge that all actors on camera need to wear makeup, the final look needs to fit the character. Miri's look is too soft and too professional for her. She really needed to be more plain and less glamorous.
   

Yes, there are shots designed to shock, but I still thought they were funny and never felt that they crossed any line. Yes, it's a "hard R" (having originally been rated NC-17 and reduced to R on appeal with no edits), but only for those who find sex porn more offensive than the torture porn that gets shat out into theatres every year. I'd much rather watch simulated sex than simulated mutilation. But that's a rant for another time.