Review: Ted

Release date: 1 August 2012
Certificate: 15
Director: Seth McFarlane
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth McFarlane

What's The Story?
John (Wahlberg) once wished his childhood teddy bear would speak to him. And he (Mcfarlane) did. Now they're grown up and John wants to move forward in his relationship with Lori (Kunis). But his fluffy pal's a stoner who's holding him back.

What did we think?
It's a real simple arrested development story in which Wahlberg is caught between his past with his teddy and his future with his girlfriend. No awards for subtlety. But rest assured Ted is outright hilarious. It's the funniest movie of the year, particularly if you're the type to wonder what a 'dirty Fozzie' is...

Those familiar with Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane's work will be right to expect a barrage of pop culture references, most of them cruel mockery, and a heavy dose of none-too-subtle adult humour. There's really only space for a basic yarn amongst all the gags. If you're on McFarlane's wavelength, though, you'll be belly laughing the whole way through.

Despite instances like Flash Gordon's Sam Jones doing a big drug scene and hookers defecating on the floor, Ted smartly includes enough character touches to make us really care about the weird trio in the core love triangle. Although it wasn't that great, Mark Wahlberg showed he can do a good comic straight guy in The Other Guys opposite Will Ferrell. The same trick works well here. He's a simple, flawed guy in a bind. Ted gets the laughs but Marky Mark is perfectly cast.

You'll forget completely that it's actually an amazingly clever special effects movie also. Watching Ted try his best to get fired from his grocery job by sleeping with the checkout girl or accosting Wahlberg in a violent hotel room punchup, you actually believe he's a bitter, washed up celebrity known briefly in the late 80s for being a living bear and since forgotten. Hell, he might be the best CGI character ever.

Verdict: A rude, hilarious delight.