Comments on: KNOCKED UP http://contour-at-the-movies.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/ What we're watching and how it measures up in Contour Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jeffrey Alan Schechter http://contour-at-the-movies.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Jeffrey Alan Schechter Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:04:13 +0000 http://totallywrite.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/#comment-26 Good points and observations. I don't disagree with you about what Ben stands to lose by losing Alison, but she's the lynch pin. I maintain that as a storyteller, you don't want the audience to draw an emotional equivalence between the stakes and the "not the stakes." Yes, if he loses Alison he fails in a number of fundamental ways but we still don't want someone to go up to him and say "Dude, you'll meet someone else." Good points and observations. I don’t disagree with you about what Ben stands to lose by losing Alison, but she’s the lynch pin. I maintain that as a storyteller, you don’t want the audience to draw an emotional equivalence between the stakes and the “not the stakes.” Yes, if he loses Alison he fails in a number of fundamental ways but we still don’t want someone to go up to him and say “Dude, you’ll meet someone else.”

]]> By: Graham http://contour-at-the-movies.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Graham Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:18:51 +0000 http://totallywrite.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/#comment-25 I agree that he stands to lose a dynamite woman, and probably the love of his life, but it seems to me that 'Knocked Up' is superior to most romantic comedies because it does not frame that central question in a sentimental way. Ben realises that if he fails here he will fail in a very fundamental way. He will fail as a boyfriend, fail as a father, fail as a man. He's not just losing a hot chick, he's losing EVERYTHING. I just think the writers deserve credit for aiming higher than, say, 'Sleepless in Seattle', which has that 'only one person' thing going for it and not much else. 'Knocked Up' is more realistic and therefore a million times more meaningful than the vast majority of romantic comedies. I agree that he stands to lose a dynamite woman, and probably the love of his life, but it seems to me that ‘Knocked Up’ is superior to most romantic comedies because it does not frame that central question in a sentimental way.

Ben realises that if he fails here he will fail in a very fundamental way. He will fail as a boyfriend, fail as a father, fail as a man. He’s not just losing a hot chick, he’s losing EVERYTHING.

I just think the writers deserve credit for aiming higher than, say, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, which has that ‘only one person’ thing going for it and not much else. ‘Knocked Up’ is more realistic and therefore a million times more meaningful than the vast majority of romantic comedies.

]]> By: Jeffrey Alan Schechter http://contour-at-the-movies.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Jeffrey Alan Schechter Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:33:50 +0000 http://totallywrite.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/#comment-24 Romantic comedies and love stories, in order to work, have to operate on the level that there's only one person our main character can ever love. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, FORREST GUMP, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY...these are all examples. In a love story, the moment the main character's friend can put an arm around his or her shoulder and tell him or her "Don't worry, there are other fish in the ocean" and the audience believes that the friend is right...well...there go the stakes and the film is dead in the water. I'm sure there are other girls out there who could love Ben (his slacker buddies found girls, right?) but there's no one...NO ONE!!!...like Alison. Romantic comedies and love stories, in order to work, have to operate on the level that there’s only one person our main character can ever love. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, FORREST GUMP, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY…these are all examples.

In a love story, the moment the main character’s friend can put an arm around his or her shoulder and tell him or her “Don’t worry, there are other fish in the ocean” and the audience believes that the friend is right…well…there go the stakes and the film is dead in the water.

I’m sure there are other girls out there who could love Ben (his slacker buddies found girls, right?) but there’s no one…NO ONE!!!…like Alison.

]]> By: Graham http://contour-at-the-movies.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Graham Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:21:04 +0000 http://totallywrite.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/knocked-up/#comment-23 I disagree that he stands to "lose the one girl he’s ever met who could possibly love him". What makes it impossible for someone else to fall in love with him? I disagree that he stands to “lose the one girl he’s ever met who could possibly love him”. What makes it impossible for someone else to fall in love with him?

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