Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Though it’s been infused with some of the hoariest cliches that the romantic comedy genre has to offer, Forgetting Sarah Marshall ultimately comes off as an affable piece of work that benefits from the uniformly engaging performances and inclusion of several genuinely hilarious bits of comedic silliness. The film casts Jason Segel as Peter Bretter, a TV-show composer who embarks on a solo trip to Hawaii after being dumped by his famous girlfriend (Kristen Bell’s Sarah Marshall) – though his spontaneous vacation is inevitably ruined after Sarah and her new beau (Russell Brand’s Aldous Snow) arrive on the scene. There’s little doubt that Segel’s relatable work as the central character proves instrumental in securing Forgetting Sarah Marshall‘s mild success, as the actor (and screenwriter) does a superb job of infusing Peter’s attempts at moving on post-separation with an unexpected degree of authenticity. It’s subsequently fairly easy to initially overlook Segel’s almost egregious reliance on most of the tropes that one has come to associate with films of this ilk, although, admittedly, the inclusion of an entirely needless third-act fake break-up will test the patience of even the most easygoing viewer. The colorful supporting cast, which boasts such charismatic performers as Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, and Bill Hader, effectively holds one’s interest for the duration of Forgetting Sarah Marshall‘s overlong running time (this is, undoubtedly, the sort of endeavor that should’ve topped out at 90 minutes), with the end result an agreeable romcom that’s certainly a cut above most recent similarly-themed efforts.

*** out of ****