When the premise of a movie is a stuffed bear that comes to life you may think Disney cartoon, but Ted is a far cry from an innocent child's tale. Or is it?
When lonely child John Bennett wishes that his teddy bear comes to life his wish miraculously comes true. Fast forward to the present day and John now 35 years old (Mark Wahlberg) is still loyal to his best friend Ted. The only problem is Ted's immature behaviour is getting in the way of John getting a real job or committing to his longtime girlfriend Lori Collins (Mila Kunis). John is forced to make a choice about the future of his life that involves Ted moving out and fending for himself in the big wide world.
Seth MacFarlane creator of hit animated series such as Family Guy and American Dad! makes his feature film debut with this outrageous comedy centered around a sweet teddy bear that swears, smokes, drinks and has sex...? The film is sure to offend many viewers, especially viewers that are unfamiliar with MacFarlane's previous shows that continually push the boundaries of comedy. Personally I found the film hilarious, it was exactly what I expected and hoped for. There is no doubt MacFarlane treads a fine line with his style of comedy but I feel he has succeeded in this film as he once again shamelessly shares his unique views on the world.
Seth Macfarlane is not just the director and writer of Ted he also provides the voice talent for the central character, as he does for his other shows. It's a well known fact that MacFarlane has an impressive talent when it comes to doing voices and although Ted may sound like Peter Griffith there's no denying the character is original and unique.
There is great chemistry between best friends Ted and John played with enthusiasm by Wahlberg. I'm sure it would have been challenging for Wahlberg, because I'm not sure what or who he was talking to most of the time given that Ted is CGI. Together the two share in some very memorable scenes such as the white trash guessing game (it will make sense when you see the film), meeting their childhood hero (a great cameo that I wont spoil) as well as the over top fight sequence that is dare I say it Family Guyesque (think Peter vs The Giant Chicken).
Mark Wahlberg is perfectly cast as a man struggling to grow up and let go of his friend Ted. Whalberg is an actor that has stared in some quality films (The Departed, The Fighter) but he has never quite proved himself as a versatile actor. Sure he can play a tough guy or helm a summer blockbuster but he never really established himself as a quality dramatic actor. However he recently proved that he has a knack for comedy after appearing in the refreshingly funny film; The Other Guys. I feel he has proved once again in Ted that he has great comic timing as he was a great support to the character of Ted.
Ted is a film that doesn't hold any punches, the comedy is honest, often offensive but for the most part very funny. The film shouldn't be taken too seriously, I mean its about a bear that's come to life, just go with it and your sure to have a good time. All I can say is look out for Ted 2 and bring on the Oscars, I'm excited to see what MacFarlane has in store.
No comments:
Post a Comment