Jason Gardner explores the coming of age themes in recent films Knocked Up and Superbad

Knocked Up

Apparently Judd Apatow, producer of two of Hollywoods biggest comedy hits of the year Knocked Up and Superbad, has been cursed. There are those, such as Peter Bart the editor of influential showbiz rag Variety, who have deemed Apatow's brand of gross out comedy misogynistic, supportive of conservative values and a hateful continuation of the kind of puerile cinema recently revived by the American Pie series. So they've prayed to the box office gods that this particular comedy gravy train will run off the tracks before too long.

The critics have a point. Both films, and Apatow's runaway 2006 success The Forty Year Old Virgin, have more than their fair share of below the belt jokes, politically incorrect asides and the usual bodily function gags. However despite the appeal to the lowest common denominator all three films have a formula that, at least for now, guarantees their popularity.

First up is a subject beloved of cinema - coming of age. It's about a journey from childhood to adulthood or immaturity to maturity that involves familiar rites of passage - passing over the 'first time' hurdles. In the case of Superbad as in American Pie, the story hangs on nervous teen nerds trying to lose their virginity before heading off to college. Same story, different age for The Forty Year Old Virgin, well apart from the college graduation bit. Steve Carell of Evan Almighty fame stars as a geeky TV salesman at first ridiculed by workmates for his virgin status but then encouraged by them to find romance.

In a society where communities now have precious few shared traditions that mark coming of age it's perhaps not surprising that teenagers find their own 'rites of passage' and as the aforementioned films display, they largely revolve around first time sex, underage drinking and parties. That's where Knocked Up differs, the story this time connects with twentysomething Ben Stone, played by Seth Rogen one of the writers of Superbad, for whom adult life is one long frat party. The twist comes when he accidentally gets a beautiful TV presenter pregnant after a one night stand. Instead of parting ways the two commit to raising the child together. Stone, seemingly stuck in adolescence, suddenly becomes responsible, ditches the pot smoking, gets a 'proper' job and embraces fatherhood.

If growing up, at whatever age you are, is a familiar strain through Apatow's films so is camaraderie. Few movies do 'male bonding' better largely because there's a ring of authenticity to the situations and conversations that bring the blokes together. In Knocked Up it's Seth Rogen's character confessing his fears of commitment to his partner's brother in law who doesn't offer many answers but honesty and a listening ear. In Superbad it's two friends actually mourning the fact that they're parting ways and going to separate colleges. The most touching point of the film is when they actually vocalize their fraternal love for each other. Perhaps such soul baring seems a little contrived but part of the motive of these films is to pay tribute to the friendships we form over the years and their undeniable influence on us.

The films have pulled in the crowds because they outline both dilemma and solution in a way that's heartfelt and truthful. Most of us don't have concerns about saving the world from viruses, evil tyrants or alien robots but we have from time to time wondered what it means to really grow up, put down roots, live up to responsibilities - that's the dilemma. Apatow's real guilt lies in trotting out a tired but tried and tested solution; it's not always about what we face in life but who we're facing it with, are we being faithful to them and do we inspire them to have faith in us. That's true responsibility.