Movie · 2008 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 42m · R · English
Curator score: 1.7/10 (297K ratings)
What would you do to get out of debt?
Overview
Lifelong platonic friends Zack and Miri look to solve their respective cash-flow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.7/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.83/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 65%
Metacritic: 56
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Kevin Smith
Production
Blue Askew, View Askew Productions, The Weinstein Company
Cast
Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Gerry Bednob, Edward Janda, Nicholas Lombardi, Chris Milan, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, Kenny Hotz, Brandon Routh, Anne Wade, Justin Long, Tom Savini, Jeff Anderson, Jim Norton, Jean-Pierre Nutini, Alice Eisner, David Early, Mattt Potter, Ricky Mabe
Curator Review
Verdict
A raunchy, low-budget rom-com with a genuinely sweet center: two broke best friends make an adult film and discover their feelings for each other. It’s funniest when it leans into awkward sincerity and ensemble banter, but the humor is uneven and the premise will be too crude for some viewers.
Best for
viewers who like raunchy comedies with a romantic payoff
fans of Kevin Smith’s talky, hangout-style writing
people who enjoy awkward, sex-positive relationship comedies
audiences open to crude jokes with a sentimental core
Skip if
you dislike explicit sexual humor
you want a polished, high-energy studio rom-com
you’re not interested in Kevin Smith’s conversational comedy style
you prefer romance without gross-out or taboo material
Overview
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is one of those comedies that sounds like a dare and then turns out to have a surprisingly soft heart. The setup is pure provocation, but the movie is really about two exhausted, broke people who know each other too well to admit what they want. That tension gives the film more warmth than its title suggests.
Worth noting
The jokes are hit-or-miss, but the best stretches have the loose, hangout rhythm Kevin Smith does well, with Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks making the central friendship feel lived-in. Craig Robinson and Justin Long help keep the energy up, and the movie works best when it balances embarrassment, tenderness, and a little chaos.
Bottom line
It’s not the sharpest or most consistent rom-com of its era, and some of the raunchier material lands better than others. Still, if you’re in the mood for a crude but sweet relationship comedy with a real sense of affection for its characters, it’s an easy curiosity worth sampling.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Frandi Peralta (3.5★) · 958 likes
DON'T
TELL
MY
MOM
I
WATCHED
THIS
MOVIE.
Kate (3★) · 853 likes
is seth rogen actually hot or am i just at a low point in my life
barbora (3★) · 814 likes
honestly justin long was the best part of this
angie (3★) · 457 likes
- excuse me, can i get a cup of coffee... black?
- can't you see we talking... white?
sindhu (3★) · 341 likes
*me, knocking on kevin smith’s door, and chanting loudly*: gay justin long spinoff gay justin long spinoff gAY JUSTIN LONG SPINOFF GAY JUSTIN LONG SPINOFF