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Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Comedy · Romance · Drama · 2008

When actress Sarah Marshall dumps aspiring musician Peter Bretter for rock star Aldous Snow, Peter's world comes crashing down. His best friend Brian suggests that Peter should get away from everything and to fly off to Hawaii to escape all his problems. After arriving in Hawaii and meeting the beautiful receptionist Rachel Jansen, Peter is shocked to see not only Aldous in Hawaii, but also Sarah.

Movie details

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

“You lose some, you get some.”

2008 Comedy · Romance · Drama 1h 51m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

When actress Sarah Marshall dumps aspiring musician Peter Bretter for rock star Aldous Snow, Peter's world comes crashing down. His best friend Brian suggests that Peter should get away from everything and to fly off to Hawaii to escape all his problems. After arriving in Hawaii and meeting the beautiful receptionist Rachel Jansen, Peter is shocked to see not only Aldous in Hawaii, but also Sarah.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Forgetting Sarah Marshall?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Nicholas Stoller

Written by

Jason Segel

Jason Segel

Jason Segel

Peter Bretter

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell

Sarah Marshall

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis

Rachel Jansen

Russell Brand

Russell Brand

Aldous Snow

Bill Hader

Bill Hader

Brian Bretter

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill

Matthew Van Der Wyk

Liz Cackowski

Liz Cackowski

Liz Bretter

Court is in session

Put Forgetting Sarah Marshall on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.