Knocked Up

FLICK I always thought knocked up was a derogatory term for something a guy did to a woman, making her barefoot and pregnant. So, instead of the crude parody I was expecting writer-director Judd Apatow, who also directed The 40 Year-Old Virgin, gives us a well-balanced romantic comedy that focuses on the people, with the situation as a jumping point. Apatow blends the right amount of frat boy humor with lighthearted commentary on singles and married couples, plus some well-placed pop culture references, to show how it takes two to make a thing go right. Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl is the lovely Alison who goes out to celebrate her E! Entertainment job promotion and has such a good time she winds up the evening having unprotected sex with slacker Ben (Seth Rogan). Two months later, Alison decides to pop the news to Ben that they are with child. You end up believing in Alison’s choice to let a dorky loser like Ben take part in the situation because the sincerity in the acting convinces us that these opposites could work it out. Heigl amazingly has a way of conveying a look of doubt while exhibiting confidence in her decision. And Rogan has a light innocence instead of a brashness that is typical of over-the-top performances from actors like Adam Sandler and Jim Carey. Contrasting unplanned parenthood and presenting a cautious view of married life are Alison’s sister Debbie (a perfectly cast Leslie Mann, who is also Apatow’s wife) and her restless husband Pete (Paul Rudd, owner of the best smile ever) who have a few issues to work out. But the central question remains: can a responsible woman actually make a go of it with an immature guy with whom she’s had a one-night stand? In this case, knock on wood. My Score: 8 out of 10.