Ted

Ted (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes: 68%

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Screenwriters: Seth MacFarlane & Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild

Like Family Guy, also created by Seth MacFarlane, Ted is very funny in places. However, it's one and only mission, for which it pulls out all stops and sacrifices everything to achieve is to make you laugh. Oddly enough considering the type of film it is and it's creators, it feels very earnest in this mission, and it bombards you with all types and forms of humour. Subtlety is definitely not the strong point of this film. You will find some of these jokes funny, but unless you are the most ardent fan of Family Guy, some jokes will definitely miss the mark. For me, there were several mildly offensive racial slurs that crossed the line just a bit too much, while there was an extended fight scene that just made me wince a lot.

But that sounds a bit too harsh. Ted is still a film with a huge, joking sense of fun and its appeal is obvious. Headed by Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis who manage to steer on the right side of annoying. The concept is simple yet brilliant: a man's childhood teddy bear has grown up with him. This film covers the themes of maturity and growing up, all the while being startlingly immature. Watchers of Family Guy will also recognize MacFarlane's familiar brand of humour, and the film is full to the brim with pop culture references, and sheer randomness in places. Joel McHale is one of the standout performances as Kunis' boss and it is unfortunate that he is given so little screen time as he is all but left out in the second half. The film also feels self aware and self-deprecating, with especially enjoyable references of Ted sounding like members of Family Guy. Seth MacFarlane is also excellent as the voice of Ted. And the film manages to mix the blend of drama and comedy almost perfectly, despite an emotional conclusion that was perhaps a bit too overwrought with emotion.

Ted feels like a breath of fresh air, and superior to most recent stale comedies. 

3½/5