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Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill. Comedy. Written by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen. Directed by Greg Mottola

FILM SYNOPSIS: From producers Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), and screenwriters Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen (Da Ali G Show) comes Superbad, a coming-of-age cautionary tale about two socially inept teenage boys about to graduate high school. Theirs is a ridiculously dependent friendship -- but now they've gotten into different colleges and are forced to contemplate life apart. Evan (Michael Cera) is gentle, smart, and generally terrified. Seth (Jonah Hill) is foul-mouthed, volatile, and all-consumed with the topic of human sexuality. This is the story of their misguided attempts to reverse a lifelong losing streak with the ladies in one panic-driven night.

PREVIEW REVIEW: It must be difficult for those unfamiliar with movies made pre-today’s rating codes to comprehend comedy without crudity. Indeed, today’s comic films give evidence that crudity simply isn’t a turnoff to moviegoers anymore. For example, I recently saw a film where even a classy-looking lady sitting behind me roared at the sight of a man splattered with human feces. Sensibilities have changed, but I can’t help but think that audiences are being cheated by the excessive amount of bad behavior on the movie screen. You see, anatomical and scatological humor are the easiest ways to elicit a response that passes for merriment. It’s the shock value causing the response, because we aren’t supposed to say or do certain things in public. Make no mistake; a flatulence sound effect is not wit. It causes a response from the viewer due to the uncontrolled behavior, but Noel Coward it ain’t. But that’s what constitutes the vast majority of humorous situations in today’s comedies – inebriants passing wind or people puking on somebody’s shoes. So when I attend a film aimed at a young audience, such as Superbad, I can expect a certain degree of rude conduct. And Superbad doesn’t disappoint.

The leads have good timing, there’s actually a sturdy story structure and beneath the excessive coarseness, there’s a sweet spirit, a lesson about friendship. But the key word in that sentence is excessive. Not a scene goes by that the s- or f-words don’t appear or there isn’t a sophomoric reference to the female form. And in each act, someone vomits. It’s not the crudest movie I’ve seen. Last year’s Clerks 2 has that distinction. But, it’s a close runner-up.

It amazes me that there just doesn’t seem to be a limit to the offensive things that can be done or said on screen, or that producers continue to be paid enormous amounts of money to make products that further desensitize a generation. Look around – people are getting more uncouth with the aid of each round of summer teen pleasers. I swear, in another decade, Generations X, Y, and Z will all be back in caves.

But if you see this one, you’ll laugh. I guess that’s all that counts.

I will attempt not be overly graphic in my content descriptions. I think, however, when you read the reasons for the rating, you’ll agree that when your teens ask to go to the movie (and make no mistake, despite the rating, teens are the target audience), you’ll have only one recourse. Beat them.

Video Alternative:Dancer, Texas Pop. 81. This engaging comic drama from 1998 concerns four graduating high school chums set to leave their teeny, tiny town due to a vow they made in grade school. Good technical aspects, fine performances by unknown cast, and it is a pleasure to see a film about teens without the usual crudity, exploitation and profane language. It is rated PG (a few mild expletives & 1 obscenity, but no misuse of God’s name; muted sexual innuendo as a ne’er-do-well father brings home a date, but no sex scenes). Hard to find. There’s a reason for that. It’s good.

Distributor: Sony Pictures