I have always been a fan of Kevin Smith’s movies. His most successful films are the ones that find that perfect mix of gut busting humor with just enough sentimentality thrown in for good measure.  Zack and Miri Make a Porno is unlike any movie Smith has done yet, but it seems follows this setup to a tee. The movie is flat out hilarious with just enough emotion to allow you to appreciate the characters while not getting overly sappy.

The story follows Zack (Seth Rogen) and his best friend and roommate Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who have come into some hard times and are left with no money to cover their rent or utilities. Faced with eviction, Zack comes up with the idea to film and distribute their own porn movie in order to salvage their apartment.  They enlist the help of their friends who all come together to make this low budget production a reality.  Along the way they overcome a number of obstacles to finishing their film, and in the process Zack and Miri learn more about each other than they ever knew in their previous 20 years of friendship.  The biggest tension in the film comes from the “build up” (pardon the pun) to their inevitable sex scene together, which is perfectly conveyed by both actors.

Fans of Kevin Smith movies will notice a lot of Smith regulars in this film. Both Jeff Anderson (Clerks) and Jason Mewes (Jay) make up part of the hilarious cast and are just as funny as they were in Smith’s other movies, although in quite different roles. One of the biggest standouts in this film is the gut wrenchingly funny Craig Robinson who plays Zack’s friend and coworker Delaney. Robinson, who has appeared in ‘Pineapple Express’ and ‘The Office’ is a scene killer and I found myself dying to hear whatever he was going to say next.   The movie is almost worth watching for Robinson’s scenes alone as he is just that funny.

Seth Rogen is also great as the lead in this film. It’s good to see him in a role that doesn’t require him to be a jerk, and he actually comes off quite likable compared to some of his other roles. The fact that he is insanely funny in this film also doesn’t hurt.  Elizabeth Banks, who recently has been blowing up in the movies, is good in this film also. While I’m not exactly a fan of hers, she does an excellent job of portraying the relationship between her and Zack, and the intimate chemistry and close bond between the two of them becomes clear from the start.  Worth mentioning is a hilarious cameo appearance by Justin Long (from the movie ‘Waiting’ and those ‘I’m a Mac’ commercials) and Brandon Routh (Superman).  Without giving anything away, one thing is clear: you will never look at Superman the same way after this movie.

Unfortunately, this movie has one of the worst, and probably most unmarketable titles of any mainstream movie I can remember. However, after watching the movie it becomes clear that they really couldn’t have named the film anything else as it fits so perfectly. Granted, the word ‘porno’ in the title may turn a few viewers off, but trust me that this comedy is no raunchier or obscene than any other ‘R’ rated comedy to come out in recent years. In fact, compared to Smith’s ‘Clerks 2′, this movie seems pretty tame.

Overall, this is an excellent film with huge laughs throughout. While not exactly a romantic comedy, there is enough emotion that the film could be considered a comedy with romance.  Smith manages to interject sentimental moments while keeping the film focused on what it is first and foremost, which is a hilarious comedy.  Often movies that try to include both elements wind up “morphing” into a different type of movie by the end of the film. Luckily that is not the case with this movie as it maintains its original focus throughout, which is to make you laugh.  I highly recommend this movie to anyone that enjoys a good comedy.