Devastated Peter takes a Hawaiian vacation in order to deal with the recent break-up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah. Little does he know, Sarah's traveling to the same resort as her ex - and she's bringing along her new boyfriend.
Peter is a composer and a likable sad sack who's devastated when his girlfriend of five years, Sarah Marshall, the star of a cheesy CSI-style crime show, dumps him. He weeps, he rails, he mopes. Finally, his step-brother Brian suggests a vacation, so Peter heads for a resort on Oahu where, as he's checking in, he sees Sarah and her new beau, Aldous, a perverse English rocker. The weeping and moping start again, until Peter is rescued by Rachel, a thoughtful hotel clerk who invites him to a luau and to hang out. Although he constantly runs into Sarah and Aldous, Peter starts to come alive again. Will Sarah realize what she's lost, and what about Rachel?Written by
<jhailey@hotmail.com>
When Peter is told he has to leave the first hotel room because Dakota Fanning needs it, he is laying in bed. The blankets that cover him alternate between on and off. See more »
Quotes
Rachel Jansen:
Why don't you press your feet up against the rock, and like shoot yourself off.
Peter Bretter:
What, like a frog?
Rachel Jansen:
I don't know Peter, just get off the fucking rock!
See more »
Crazy Credits
Shortly after the end credits start, there is an advertisement for Sarah Marshall's new NBC crime drama, "Animal Instincts" in which her costar is Jason Bateman. See more »
Alternate Versions
The unrated version runs almost six minutes longer than the theatrical version and has a few extended scenes and scenes not included in the theatrical version which include the characters partaking in a yoga class. See more »
An amusing and sometimes awkward breakup film, this pic was written by and stars a long-time Apatow cohort, Jason Segel. The pic centers on lost, hypersensitive slacker Peter, who after being broken up with by his TV star girlfriend copes with its end poorly, eventually escaping to Hawaii where he subsequently books himself into a hotel that she is coincidentally staying at.
Immediate warning to those sensitive to full frontal male nudity: it is present and more than once. That out of the way, the pic was pretty affable, containing more than a handful of good laughs as well as more than a lot of generally comically captured sex scenes. Many of the secondary characters also play enjoyably silly roles. And there is a funny musical component to the pic that also includes an amusing rendition of puppet-related works.
I suppose I do have to level a little criticism for the theme being a little slight, but there still is something to be said for healing of personal wounds and learning to "move on". Those that have seen other Apatow relationship pics will probably see a number of similarities (slacker dude learns to grow up, gross out comedy, etc), even though Apatow didn't write or direct this piece. The film is also a bit on the long side, like many comedies that come from the Apatow crew and you do notice it. Some judicious trimming and relegating of some scenes (including numerous flashbacks) to DVD extras would've been helpful.
Finally, I wish that more character could be drawn from both Sarah Marshall and Peter's newfound love interest, hotel employee Rachel as they played fairly two-dimensional, but I'm glad that Sarah didn't end up a one-note character as well. I didn't love the conclusion of the breakup story arc because I felt that it was a bit of a cop-out, but it didn't ruin the film. Lastly, Peter was written a little on the edge of believability in terms of being oversensitive, so you really have to buy his character, otherwise the film will break on you.
Essentially, this is a congenial, enjoyable, but rude/crude film with a share of laughs and more Jason Segel than you probably ever wanted to see. Recommended for those who like some story with their laughs and can handle the vulgar, sexual, and nude content. 8/10.
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An amusing and sometimes awkward breakup film, this pic was written by and stars a long-time Apatow cohort, Jason Segel. The pic centers on lost, hypersensitive slacker Peter, who after being broken up with by his TV star girlfriend copes with its end poorly, eventually escaping to Hawaii where he subsequently books himself into a hotel that she is coincidentally staying at.
Immediate warning to those sensitive to full frontal male nudity: it is present and more than once. That out of the way, the pic was pretty affable, containing more than a handful of good laughs as well as more than a lot of generally comically captured sex scenes. Many of the secondary characters also play enjoyably silly roles. And there is a funny musical component to the pic that also includes an amusing rendition of puppet-related works.
I suppose I do have to level a little criticism for the theme being a little slight, but there still is something to be said for healing of personal wounds and learning to "move on". Those that have seen other Apatow relationship pics will probably see a number of similarities (slacker dude learns to grow up, gross out comedy, etc), even though Apatow didn't write or direct this piece. The film is also a bit on the long side, like many comedies that come from the Apatow crew and you do notice it. Some judicious trimming and relegating of some scenes (including numerous flashbacks) to DVD extras would've been helpful.
Finally, I wish that more character could be drawn from both Sarah Marshall and Peter's newfound love interest, hotel employee Rachel as they played fairly two-dimensional, but I'm glad that Sarah didn't end up a one-note character as well. I didn't love the conclusion of the breakup story arc because I felt that it was a bit of a cop-out, but it didn't ruin the film. Lastly, Peter was written a little on the edge of believability in terms of being oversensitive, so you really have to buy his character, otherwise the film will break on you.
Essentially, this is a congenial, enjoyable, but rude/crude film with a share of laughs and more Jason Segel than you probably ever wanted to see. Recommended for those who like some story with their laughs and can handle the vulgar, sexual, and nude content. 8/10.