SXSW - Time Out gets 'Knocked Up'

Chris Tilly checks out the biggest comedy of the year in Austin

Mar 15 2007

'Knocked Up' is the biggest film screening at this year's SXSW festival, and it also happens to be by far the funniest. Written and directed by Judd Apatow, the man responsible for breakout hit 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' in 2005, the film, as the title suggests, revolves around an accidental pregnancy and the consequences that follow.

The marvellous Seth Rogan plays Ben Stone, a man child who whiles away the hours getting drunk, getting high and avoiding work at all costs. One night he bumps into the beautiful Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl), out celebrating a promotion and drinking more beer than is probably good for her. They talk, dance and continue to embibe, and soon enough the pissed pair are back at her place making the beast with two backs but no condom.

The result is a pregnancy that neither party wants, and what follows is a crude, clever and surprisingly touching film about facing up to life's responsibilities and finally growing up.

The cast is spot on, with Paul Rudd particularly funny as Alison's brutally cynical brother-in-law, and the film is laugh-out-loud funny throughout, no mean feat for a comedy with a two hour run-time.

Special mention should also go to Loudon Wainwright III's beautiful soundtrack, and this being Austin, he was also on-hand later that night to play several tracks at La Zona Rosa, an understated gig that soon turned into a raucous party as the 'Knocked Up' cast and crew got increasingly drunk. My one hope is that life didn't imitate art for any of them afterwards.

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