Film: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Director: Kevin Smith

Producer: Scott Mosier

Writer: Kevin Smith

Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen

Runtime: 101 minutes

Rating: R

Kevin Smith has a lot of fans among the college crowd, although I don’t include myself in that group. His films tend to be juvenile and low-brow. So it comes as no surprise that “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” started out just like his other films. What does come as a surprise is that he has entrapped me with this one. I wouldn’t call it laugh-out-loud funny, but for a movie that has “porno” in the title, it’s really quite charming, insightful and romantic.

Zack Brown (Rogen) and Miriam “Miri” Linky (Banks) are poor roommates struggling to make ends meet. After the water and electricity are shut off, the two find themselves in dire straits. They need a way to make some money fast. Meeting gay classmate Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) and his porn star boyfriend Brandon (Justin Long) at their 10-year high school reunion, Zack is inspired to make a porno. After convincing Miri, they gather funds and begin recruiting talent, but soon find the implications of making a porno with your best friend are more complicated than they seem.

After the dismal box office performances of his recent films, it’s not hard to see why the studio didn’t push this as a Smith film. Fans of his are likely to be the only ones to know this is his film and not Judd Apatow’s. While this is a Smith film completely, his romantic and tender side is showcased more authentically than in his other films. “Porno” struck me as a filthy “When Harry Met Sally.” Those who enjoy Smith’s gross-out sense of humor will be pleased while those who like his smart and homage-driven side will find much to amuse them.

References to pop culture are a staple of Smith films. By naming the town’s hockey team the Monroeville Zombies he’s throwing a nod to “Dawn of the Dead.” By casting former porn star Traci Lords as Bubbles, not only is Smith winking to the audience, but allows Lords to poke fun at herself. And finally, what Smith film would be complete without a nauseating abundance of “Star Wars” references?

Banks is radiant and beautiful as Miri. She exudes such sweetness and sensitivity, yet she’s able to get down and dirty when push comes to shove. Rogen plays the same guy he does in all of his films: the loveable slacker. One cannot deny that Rogen plays it quite well. The chemistry between Rogen and Banks is really great, but the standout performance comes from Long, who’s on screen for less than five minutes. Some may remember Long from films such as “Live Free or Die Hard,” although I don’t think anyone has seen him play a gay porn star.

While one might think having the words “make a porno” in a film’s title would make it seem relatively straightforward, it turns into more than just the making of an adult film. We are shown what happens when two people who have been friends their whole life have sex. Anybody who’s been in this situation will find Smith’s interpretation to be spot on. “Porno” shows how one can have sex with random people and have it mean nothing, but once feelings are involved, sex becomes more than just something that feels good. It’s making love, and that’s what happens when Zack and Miri share a scene together, and it’s quite a beautiful and romantic scene.

Those who are die-hard fans of Smith are likely to be pleased, while those looking for something romantic should also find something to satisfy them. Smith’s inane dialogue still remains, which for some reason people seem to find clever and witty. His penchant for toilet humor is really unnecessary, and he could do much better if he just put a little more effort into his scripts. For all its faults, though, it’s still fun watching “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”