BIZZARO. A REVIEW.

When you watch a Martin Scorsese movie, you expect violence. When you watch a Francis Ford Coppola movie, you expect drama. When you watch a Steven Spielberg movie, you expect to be amazed. When you watch ZACH AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, you expect a Kevin Smith movie. Unfortunately thats not what you get.

There were people who didnt even know that this movie was made by Kevin Smith. I think I know why. It looks like a Judd Apatow movie. Half of the cast is from THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN and the other half is from KNOCKED UP. In all its heart, and in its substance, this is a Kevin Smith movie. The dialogue and characters feel like they can be placed in any Kevin Smith movie, which he sometimes does. But the cast looks like a Judd Apatow production, and that was a juxtaposition that I could not get over during the movie. Im not sure if Kevin Smith CHOSE the cast or the studio chose it for him, because Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks' names on a movie poster are very marketable. So marketable, in fact, that thier names are more dominant on the theatrical poster than Smith's.

Don't get me wrong, its a funny movie, just not what I expected. In Kevin Smith's movies you get to learn EVERYTHING about each of his characters, no matter how intimate or vulgar (Dante from CLERKS tried to suck his own dick; Trisha from MALLRATS fucks a lot; Banky from CHASING AMY occasionally likes to see a chick and a horse, etc.) and that really makes you care about the characters. The characters in ZACH AND MIRI don't have as much backstory, or as many anecdotes as Smith's usual rogues gallery, and it really takes away from they way you feel about them.

Some characters were great. Craig Robinson was hilarious. Jeff Anderson is gold, as usual. Jason Mewes took a refreshing turn as playing someone other than 'Jay'. The only problem is that the best characters were underused. Jeff Anderson has about 4 lines in the movie, and they were the best ones as well. Jason Mewes only started to get funny near the end of the movie, when his character miraculously becomes less dumb.

Kevin Smith is one of my favorite directors. This was an extra long review because people are more critical to things that they are more passionate about. The only Kevin Smith movie I haven't seen is JERSEY GIRL, because it is PG-13, and thats like a REESES CUP without peanut butter. I was expecting more. The only way I can explain this movie is this; you have a Ford Mustang, but instead of the Mustang logo, you have an Impala logo. It feels, sounds, and drives like a Mustang, but the big Impala logo takes away from the experience of owning it, because its as if someone is trying to make it look like something its not. If you are expecting a FUNNY movie, you wont be let down; If you are expecting a KEVIN SMITH movie; you're expecting too much.

BONUS. After you watch the movie, read the next portion below. Its ways this funny movie could have been a Kevin Smith Movie.
[HIGHLIGHT]
1. Change The Cast.
2. Have a less ambiguous ending.
3. Make the movie take place in New Jersey. Like all Kevin Smith movies.
4. Shorten the sex scenes. It got awkward after a while.
5. Add in cameos. Even CLERKS 2 had Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Earthquake, and Wanda Sykes.