Knocked Up, the 2007 American comedy directed by Judd Apatow, airs on BBC One tonight at 11:25pm, nearly two decades after its release, and continues to attract glowing reviews from viewers online.
Plot and Cast
The film follows Alison Scott, played by Katherine Heigl, an L.A. resident who has just landed a promotion to an on-air reporting role on E!. She meets Ben Stone, played by Seth Rogen, a work-shy layabout who survives on injury compensation payouts and occasionally contributes to a celebrity pornographic website, together with his cannabis-smoking housemates.
The mismatched duo encounter each other during an evening out, and a spontaneous one-night stand results in an unplanned pregnancy. The film charts their course towards possible parenthood as they balance one another's vastly contrasting worlds.
Critical and Audience Reception
One fan wrote in a Rotten Tomatoes review: "This is a surprisingly deep and funny movie. Most movies of this genre lack depth and are just comedy, but this has deeper messages and themes that make it very memorable."
Another viewer shared: "Absolutely hilarious from start to finish. The plot was very good as well. Cheering for Seth Rogen the whole movie and genially facepalming over all of his dumb mistakes."
Appearing alongside the two leading stars are Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. Multiple reviews have commended the ensemble cast and the comedic writing of the screenplay.
Box Office Success
One person wrote: "Absolutely hilarious with the quick-witted writing and natural acting from the stacked cast. Surprisingly realistic with both the good and bad of modern relationships. It feels genuine and earned with positive messages of pregnancy."
Upon its release in 2007, Knocked Up achieved rapid box office triumph, earning $219 million globally, while receiving overwhelmingly favourable reviews from critics. Years later it remains a first-rate comedy film.
