Rated R

Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann

Directed by Judd Apatow

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Runtime: 129 min.

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One of the writers of “The 40 Year Old Virgin” strikes comedy gold again with “Knocked Up,” an unassuming comedy about life and how it becomes complicated with an unexpected pregnancy.

After a chance meeting in a bar, the loveable but unemployed loser Ben (Seth Rogen) and the E! television on-screen personality Alison (Katherine Heigl) spend the night together only to find out eight weeks later that Alison is pregnant. During the coming months the two are forced to sort out the drama of a drunken one-night stand gone wrong and shift their focus to their baby.

There’s no flashy camera work or outrageous special effects in this movie, just solid dialogue that keeps the audience rolling with laughter.

Ben and his group of friends perpetuate the greatest amount of laughs with their sometimes lowbrow, sometimes witty form of inter-group insults that show the camaraderie of the group both on and off screen.

Some of the best lines are under-the-breath jabs at one of Ben’s friends named Martin (Martin Starr) who has been lured into a bet to grow his hair and beard for a year.

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In one particular hilarious harassing, Ben’s friend Jonah (Jonah Hill) confronts Martin about how hairy he’s gotten.

“Hey Crockett,” Jonah asks. “How’s Tubbs doing?”

Martin responds casually, “Oh, another beard joke?”

Only to be stung by Jonah’s next insult of, “How did it feel changing your name from Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam?”

Heigl and Rogen also have chemistry throughout the movie to the point where their characters’ situation seems real. Their love scenes are side splitting, especially during their first drunken night together when Ben remarks after they’ve taken their clothes off that Alison is much prettier than he is.

Even when the two argue, it’s endearing and uproarious because Heigl convincingly pulls off a woman who is being driven crazy by hormones and stress of an unforeseen pregnancy, and her irresponsible partner, while Rogen remains the endearing frat boy.

The best bickering takes place in a gynecologist’s office after Alison has forced Ben out of her car and he walks several miles to be with her at her appointment. There, their relationship completely collapses in front of a nurse with Ben screaming several expletives about Alison’s hormones and Alison degrading Ben for not reading previously purchased baby books.

The argument ends with Ben storming out and Alison cheerily apologizing to the nurse for how inappropriate their argument was.

The theme of the movie, growing in the face of adversity and taking responsibility for one’s actions, is easily portrayed in the wonderfully funny dialogue and fresh wit. While birth scenes near the end may make some audience members squeamish if they’re timid to gander where babies come from, the comedy more than makes up for those moments.

“Knocked Up” is an unexpected, hilarious gem guaranteed to satisfy anyone begging this season’s movies for clever dialogue and stories close to life.

Alicia Wade can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or [email protected].