Zack, Miri, and their Porno

While most of you were out and about enjoying your holiday weekend, I was waiting in line, alone, to attend Kevin Smith’s latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Yes, that’s the movie that had its billboards pulled in Philadelphia and Salt Lake City for the reference to “porno”. It seems as though the older I get (I’m in my mid-twenties now) the more surprised I am at this idea that somehow children will see words like porno and all of the sudden implode or ask a question like, “Mom, what’s a porno?”

Before I get into discussing the film and its level of offensiveness, I’d like to take a second just to point out that the movie is rated R. This is important to note because if theatres and parents are able to handle their respective jobs, then that means that small children and young teens shouldn’t be able to watch this film without some kind of chaperon. I do realize that some people out there may feel that some form of porno osmosis might occur through the theatre walls, but I assure you this has never been scientifically proven.

Now, back to the level of this films offensiveness and should it have been given an NC-17 rating? Is this movie about more than just making a porno?

First off, because this movie is Rated R, I’m going to write this assuming that if you watch this movie you’re over the age of 17. Given that, is this offensive? The answer is maybe. I know that’s not as simple as some out there would like it to be, but that’s the truth. Was I offended? No, but then again I am much more liberal when it comes to art and entertainment. Could I picture someone coming from a different background being offended and being able to point to different areas of the film as evidence to support their claim of such offenses? Yes. The fact of the matter is when you’re depicting on screen sex, dropping the seven words you can’t say on television (many times) and doing it in a freewheeling manner, many people will find something offensive. I think the real key about making a movie with this kind of content is being able to tell a story in a way that makes the moviegoer take away something more than just memories of shots of nude breasts, or discussions about things called ***SPOILER ALERT*** the “Dutch Rudder”, which by the way is defined by the Urban Dictionary as, “Having someone complete the act of masturbation by pulling up and down on the forearm, while the male holds his own penis.” Anyway, the point is, if you’re going to make a movie that depicts making amateur porn you’re going to leave yourself open to possibly having people who haven’t seen your movie react in a negative way, perhaps in a very negative way.

Having said all of that, while the movie may show the main characters making a porno, that’s not what the movie is about. At the end of the day Zack and Miri is a romantic comedy. I use the word romantic loosely, but that’s what it is. The porno being made is simply a device to get the two main characters played by Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks to realize that they are more than just friends. Just like your parents told you, sex isn’t just about intercourse. Sometimes, it can lead to much more. In this case it led to two best friends realizing that they have always had more intense feelings for one another.

You know, whatever expectations you might have of this film, good or bad, you should just see it for yourself and then make your decision whether or not to let your kids see it, post its advertisements up on your bus terminal wall, or simply call it offensive.