Judd Apatow Movies
Judd Apatow movies have enjoyed massive popularity in recent years, whether he’s served as writer, producer, or director. While his career as a stand-up comic never quite took off, he’s become a Hollywood phenomenon, largely due to relationship comedies featuring hot women and average-looking guys. If you’re partial to TV shows, I’d also recommended the excellent Undeclared or Freaks and Geeks, both created by Apatow.
The following list contains the 10 best Judd Apatow movies according to yours truly. If you disagree, feel free to make your voice heard in the comments section. Just remember to keep things civil, or I’ll be forced to smite you like Thor smites trolls found wandering around Asgard.
And I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that all these films can be rented from Netflix, the nation’s largest online movie service. Become a Netflix member today, and get access to their library of over 100,000 movies.
The Cable Guy (1996) – Apatow was hired to re-write this Ben Stiller comedy starring Matthew Broderick as an average guy who makes the mistake of being nice to an obsessive cable guy (Jim Carrey). Before you can say “single white male,” the cable guy is following him everywhere, tricking him into sleeping with prostitutes, and dunking basketballs over a then-unknown Jack Black. My favorite scene comes when the duo travel to a medieval themed restaurant and end up engaged in a showdown reminiscent of Kirk and Spock. An intelligent comedy with more than a little to say about America’s obsession with television, celebrity trials, and much more. Co-starring Leslie Mann, who would go on to become Mrs. Judd Apatow (not exactly a bad career move on her part).
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) – After The Cable Guy disappointed at the box office, Apatow was later called upon to produce this Will Ferrell comedy about a sexist anchorman in 1970’s San Diego. Filled with the kind of absurd humor you’d expect from a Will Ferrell movie, Anchorman also stars Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) – Judd Apatow really hit paydirt by directing, producing, and co-writing this blockbuster comedy about (surprise) a 40-year-old-virgin (Steve Carell) who begins a relationship with a middle-aged woman (Catherine Keener). Meanwhile, his co-workers try to help him with his problem, but their off-the-wall advice often ends up doing more harm than good. Co-starring Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, and Romany Malco.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) – When the top driver in NASCAR, Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell), loses his touch due to the arrival of an openly-gay French driver (Sacha Baron Cohen), he must struggle to regain his dominance on the racetrack. A bizarre look at the world of racing, featuring a talented supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Lane Lynch, Gary Cole, and Michael Clarke Duncan. Remember: “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”
Knocked Up (2007) – Apatow once again gets in the director’s chair, and he once again crushes the ball right out of the park. This time the premise is about a Canadian slacker (Seth Rogen) who meets–and impregnates–a career-minded broadcaster (Katherine Heigl) during a one-night-stand. Apatow regulars such as Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, and Jonah Hill co-star.
Superbad (2007) – Co-produced by Apatow, this teen comedy follows three high school pals (Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse) whose time together is running out before everyone goes off to college. But there’s a big party going down, and each of them is determined to score with their favorite girl. The “McLovin” bit never gets old, and Seth Rogen and Bill Hader are hilarious as a pair of cops who seem more adolescent than the teens they’re chasing after. Emma Stone makes her film debut as the object of Jonah Hill’s affection.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) – While loosely based around the plotline of Walk the Line, this John C. Reilly comedy follows the rise, fall, and eventual rise of fictional musical pioneer Dewey Cox (Reilly). Everyone from Bob Dylan to David Bowie are spoofed, and look for appearances from real-life musicians ranging from Eddie Vedder to Lyle Lovett. The list of notable co-stars is massive, but a few standouts include Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, Jack White (as Elvis), Paul Rudd, Justin Long, Jack Black, and Jewel. The movie soundtrack is also pretty darned catchy.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) – Jason Segal stars as a normal guy (a staple of Judd Apatow movies) who breaks up with his actress girlfriend (Kristen Bell), heads to Hawaii to clear his head, and then runs into his ex and her new rocker boyfriend (Russell Brand). Mila Kunis co-stars as the love interest, and fans of puppetry will be moved by the lead character’s work on A Taste for Love, a puppet rock opera about Dracula. Brand’s character, Aldous Snow, would show up again in the comedy Get Him to the Greek (also produced by Apatow).
Step Brothers (2008) – Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star as middle-aged slackers who both live with their single parents (Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins, respectively). When their mom and pops decide to tie the knot, the self-centered pair are forced to live together and get along. Plenty of temper tantrums ensue, as well as sleepwalking, fistfights, and the production of a song called “Por ti Volare/(Boats n Hoes).”
Pineapple Express (2008) – Many Judd Apatow movies talk about marijuana, but this one entirely revolves around it. Seth Rogen stars as Dale Denton, a process server and stoner who dates a girl still in high school (Amber Heard). When he witnesses a drug lord (Gary Cole) and a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) murder someone, Dale flees to the apartment of his pot dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco), but not before dropping a roach at the scene of the crime. Turns out the drug lord is an expert on weed, and he quickly has his henchmen (including Craig Robinson) on their trail. The rest of the film is one madcap chase after another, as the stoned-out pals bond while trying to stay one step ahead of the grim reaper. Danny McBride co-stars.
Netflix carries all the Judd Apatow movies listed above, and they have over 999,990 more films to choose from. Whether you’re getting them through the mail or streaming them online, you’ll be able to watch the latest comedies and the best from other genres, too. We do get a small commission when you become a Netflix member, and this money allows us to keep our doors open.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 6th, 2011 at 5:13 pm and is filed under Good Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.