“Superbad” has teen drinking galore, enough profanity to rival “Pulp Fiction” and more awkward sexual situations than “American Pie.” This combination doesn’t generally guarantee a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s exactly what makes “Superbad” such a hilarious film.

The movie tells the story of Seth [Jonah Hill] and Evan [Michael Cera], two nerdy high school seniors and lifelong best friends. With just a few weeks left until graduation, the boys decide it’s time to achieve their ultimate goal of hooking up with girls. This task is made more difficult by their geek status, which prevents them from receiving invitations to a slew of graduation parties.

However, when a popular girl, Jules [Emma Stone], Seth’s crush, says that she’s also having a party, the boys offer to supply her with alcohol. This secures them an invitation and scores them points with the popular crowd.

Seth and Evan count on fellow geek, Fogell [Christopher Mintz-Plasse], to get them the alcohol since he’s about to get a fake ID. They’re skeptical, though, when the ID arrives and the name simply reads “McLovin.”

Fogell still tries to buy the alcohol using his new ID, but the liquor store is robbed just as he’s about to make his purchase. Seth and Evan mistake the arrival of the police to mean that Fogell’s been busted and they flee.

Fogell goes on a ride-along with the two drunken, off-the-wall cops from the liquor store [Seth Rogen and Bill Hader], who promise to take him to the party. Fogell witnesses their unorthodox methods, which include driving-in circles around a parking lot and letting him shoot their guns.

Meanwhile, Seth and Evan wander around town desperately trying to get alcohol and make it to the party on time. On the way they get into a number of misadventures and are forced to face the separation anxiety they feel about going to different colleges. The plot is fairly simple, the characters’ antics are crazy, and the film is immature and inappropriate in almost every way, but as far as raunchy teen comedies go, “Superbad” reigns supreme.

It’s fun, witty and absolutely hysterical. The story is comparable to “American Pie,” but “Superbad” outshines it by far. It manages to have heart in spite of all the insanity, and somehow the teens’ antics are more believable no matter how bizarre they actually are.

Hill transitions nicely into a leading man after humorous supporting roles in “Accepted” and “Knocked Up.” He has great chemistry with Cera and fits the lovable loser part well. Cera does an amazing job with the deadpan humor he perfected on Fox’s “Arrested Development.”

However it’s newcomer Mintz-Plasse who steals the show as the delightfully nerdy “McLovin.” He does an incredible job in his film debut with his impeccable comedic timing. Often he even steals scenes from comic pros Rogen and “Saturday Night Live’s” Hader. The audience can’t help but root for him.

Rogen and producer Judd Apatow have already established themselves as a seemingly unbeatable comedic team with “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.” “Superbad” has provided them with yet another hit. This time Rogen shines both on screen and off.

He wrote the script with childhood friend Evan Goldberg. His talent is quickly raising him to the ranks of today’s comic elite like Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller.

With its talented cast and hilarious script, “Superbad” turns out just the opposite of what its title indicates. It’s a wild, entertaining ride that’s sure to keep the audience in uncontrollable fits of laughter.

Reporter: Alexa Milan - 08/29/07