Movie Review: Ted (2012)

An R-rated movie about a Teddy Bear?!?

Synopsis:

John Bennett is a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to live as the result of a childhood wish... and has refused to leave his side ever since.

Rated R, 106 minutes

I was one of many people who was excited to hear that Seth McFarlane, creator of the popular TV show Family Guy, would be coming out with his first movie. Coincidentally, a few months ago, I had even taken a survey that asked me which promotional poster would be better for the movie. So, I knew about this movie months before they had even started to advertise it.

Anyways, we decided to go a week after it was released to avoid any large crowds. Unfortunately, we went to see this movie on the  Fourth of July, which resulted in a packed theater. We were forced to find seats in the near front, which in any other circumstance, would have been uncomfortable. However, since this movie wasn't fast-paced or heavy in action, it was easy to get accustomed to.

Moving on to the 'review' part of this movie, I went with three other people who had different comical tastes. However, each and every one of us had a moment where we were bursting out in laughter, myself more than the others. Ted could be considered diverse in the different types of jokes presented in the movie, of course some being more offensive than others. Almost everyone in the theater were consistently laughing at many of the jokes in the movie, although I should say that there weren't that many 'hilarious' moments. If you enjoy watching Family Guy, the humor in Ted is a perfect fit for you. For the rest who may not appreciate or don't watch McFarlane's work on television, you may not have great guffaws, but even then the movie will still be consistently funny. The humor in the movie is also, for the most part, not very cheesy, which was a big plus for me. To sum up the humor in this movie, there is a diverse lineup of jokes and punchlines, yet it does not disappoint expectations.

Let's move on to other parts of the movie. I found Mark Wahlberg as an odd choice for the protagonist of the movie. It's a little odd watching him trying to act like a young pot-smoker along with his teddy bear, or getting romantic with a Mila Kunis much younger than him. Nevertheless, he still acted very well in the movie, based on what he was given. As for Mila Kunis and Seth McFarlane (the voice of Ted) they also did a good job in making their roles as realistic and effective as possible. The visuals in the movie were also good, there were many nice shots of Boston here and there. However, the highlight of the visual aspect of the film was the teddy bear. The way Ted moved, talked, and interacted to its surroundings was very realistically portrayed and well done. In the visual department, the movie does an excellent job of bringing a teddy bear to life.

If you watch Family Guy, you may know how often the soundtrack is filled with many different jazz pieces. Ted is no different. It's quite obvious that McFarlane loves, if not obsessed with, the jazz genre, and the addition of little jazz bits in the movie is a nice change from the soundtracks of other comedy films. Other aspects of the film such as the direction and editing, were also done pretty well, but nothing worth writing home about. 

For his first time as a director and a writer, Seth McFarlane does a pretty good job here. The story was good, the jokes were funny, and the acting was solid. The only few 'criticisms' of the movie that I have since it is well deserving of the R-rating, some of the humor can be offensive to many people. The concept of a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking, teddy bear can be seen as unamusing and not entertaining to some. Since Ted essentially becomes the life of the movie, scenes without him are often mundane and forgettable. Even with that being said, the movie worth watching if you want to have a few laughs (potentially a more 'vulgar' form of humor), or if you enjoy Seth McFarlane's work. This is a very promising start for what could be a very long career for Mr. McFarlane on the big screen.

8/10

It is worth watching again.

Thanks for reading, I would like to hear what you think about this film. 

Oh and since you made it this far, here's the red band trailer: