Superbad

Superbad is duly ribald and often achingly funny, brewed from the now-familiar Apatow house blend of go-for-broke slapstick and instantly quotable, potty-mouthed dialogue...

The bawdy jokes score big points, but it's the rueful acknowledgement of adolescent embarrassment and humiliation that most distinguishes Superbad, another ultra-raunchy and commercial sex comedy from the Judd Apatow laugh factory...

Horny is as horny does in the sweetly absurd high school comedy Superbad...

Some of the patter is funny, but the movie lacks the clever plot developments and the character nuances of a classic like "American Graffiti." And it's missing the belly laughs of earlier raunchfests "American Pie" and "There's Something About Mary"...

Big chunks of Superbad are so crass I'm a bit ashamed to be caught slipping it as many as three stars. But, in fairness, you need to judge high school gross-outs with other parts of the body than the brain...

Michael Cera, as the ethical, respectful Evan, uses his soulful eyes to great effect, while Jonah Hill manages to evoke some sympathy for his crass vulgarian.

Superbad is far too dirty-minded to be everyone's cup of tea, but for those not easily offended by phallic obsessions and immature musings on sex, it's a funky treat with a lot of soul, especially in its '70s soundtrack.

If you like the idea of American Pie mixed with a strong dose of South Park, Superbad is the Supergood treat for you...

Superbad is an absolute riot. There are more belly laughs here than you'll find in a dozen high-profile star vehicles. It's as if Mike Leigh decided to make a gross-out comedy. The young leads are utterly immersed in their characters (Mintz-Plasse, a complete newcomer, is jaw-droppingly brilliant), and there's a tangy, semi-improvised feel to the dialogue - this, you suspect, is exactly how horndog geeks really communicate...