By Nathan Kang
The 2007 comedy Superbad is one of the most iconic films ever produced. Directed by Greg Mottola, the film centers around two high school seniors, Seth and Evan, desperately trying to buy booze for a house party. Through a superb cast and genuine storyline, Superbad shined a never seen-before light on the high school experience, which has led it to remain as a cultural icon 15 years after its production.
The screenwriters of Superbad, Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, began the script for the film when they first met as teens during bar mitzvah classes. At the time, teen movies were often unrealistic. Actors were good looking, the teens featured in the movies had wealthy parents, and kids faced little consequences for their brazen behavior. Rogan and Goldberg however, wished to see themselves on the big screen. So, they named the two main characters, Seth and Evan, after themselves. They then added their high school experiences into the film and layered it with a plot. Since Superbad was created by teens while they were in high school, the film gives a genuine depiction of the high school experience. For example, the script accurately reflected the humor of high schoolers at the time, filled with witty comebacks and creative profanity.
For Superbad to become a hit, Rogan and Goldberg needed to create a film that was deeper than its surface plot. While nearly the entire story revolves around Seth and Evan’s mission to buy booze, it is the motivation and relationship of these two characters that allows for the audience to relate to the movie on an emotional level. Seth and Evan represent how Rogan and Goldberg truly felt as children, which gives the film an incredible sense of realism. Through this, a major theme of the movie emerges: looking back.
Early in the film Seth’s crush Jules asks him if he can buy alcohol for her party later that night. Seth takes up her offer, and Jules jokes that if “you scratch our back, we’ll [referring to her and her friend] scratch yours”. Seth then says that his back is actually located “on my c*ck”. Rogan and Goldberg have stated that they initially came up with this joke as teens in the initial draft of the movie, thinking it was really funny. However, given that the two were adults by the time the film was produced, their added age gave them a unique perspective. While the movie presents the joke in a humorous manner, the implications of it are what stands out. Jules stands in silence for a few moments and then gives an awkward laugh. Seth wavers between self-assured and desperate, unsure how to gain Jule’s self-approval.
Here, Rogan and Goldberg poke fun at their younger selves, and this sense of self-awareness is what makes the movie so special. Later in the film, Seth and Evan attend a house party, and the film presents the event in a very heightened and tense manner. Adults Rogan and Goldberg could look back and reflect on how dangerous it was for a couple of teens to be at a party with adults. While it might have been exciting for the kids, Rogan and Goldberg understood the implications of what the kids were getting themselves into, explaining the contrast in the seriousness of how the setting is displayed, versus the light-heartedness and playfulness of Seth and Evan.
Additionally, identity is a major theme in Superbad. Seth is obsessed with his identity, and his decision to buy booze was made in part to increase his popularity at school. Early in the film he frequently references other student’s old and embarrassing stories, acting as if that is someone’s entire identity. For example, in an early scene where Seth and Evan are discussing whether or not to buy the booze, a fellow student named Greg begins harassing the two, and Seth tells Greg to “go piss your pants again”. Greg responds back, saying that happened eight years ago, to which Seth says that “people don’t forget”.
This idea of “people don’t forget” serves as a compass for Seth’s decision making in the film, as he is determined to change his legacy and identity into one that both blends in, but also stands out. His friends, Evan and Fogle got accepted into Dartmouth and have a plan for their future. Seth, however, did not get accepted, and is unsure about what comes next. This uncertainty results in Seth being extremely insecure of himself, causing him to be more proactive and confrontational, as he is desperate to get a girlfriend and gain popularity in his last remaining days of high school. Evan and Fogle, on the other hand, are more comfortable with their future, and they don’t have the same sense of insecurity that Seth does. However, Evan does care about his reputation around his crush Becca. He lacks the confidence to be himself around her, believing that being genuine by itself is not enough to attract someone. So, he and Seth decide to buy the booze for the house party as a means of glorifying their reputation. To do this they work with possibly the least cool student in the entire school, Fogle, who supplies them with fake I.Ds in the now iconic “McLovin” scene.
Again, Rogan and Goldberg use their hindsight when creating the script. A single party should not be this important, but to Seth and Evan, it is. To them, their mission to buy the alcohol is nearly a life-or-death situation. If they do not secure the booze, they tarnish their reputation and will likely never hookup with their crushes. The movie does an excellent job at exemplifying the emotions of the characters, as it over dramatizes events in a comedic manner. This over-dramatization works, as the audience understands the social pressure that Seth and Evan face, which makes the movie very personal.
Rogan and Goldberg later explore the shallowness of Seth and Evan’s desires through the development in their relationship. On their mission to buy the booze, the two characters experience ups and downs in their relationship due to their conflicting perspectives. However, by the end of the movie they gain a deeper appreciation of each other. The two characters come to the understanding that these might be the last moments they will ever share, and that they need to make the most out of it. Seth and Evan both begin to question who they are without each other, and this dilemma brings them to the realization that it is their friendship that matters the most, not the girls, booze, or parties.
Superbad offered a unique, realistic perspective of the classic high school coming-of-age story. Gone were the days of 30-year-olds with chiseled muscles playing teens; actors Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse could have been pulled from any high school in America. Although filled with cliché jokes and storylines, the humorous moments come from Rogan and Goldberg reflecting on their teenage experience, and how what they thought was cool as kids was actually incredibly stupid. Ultimately, Superbad serves as a form of comfort; the self-assurance that our high school experiences are universal, and that humor can be found in them, leaves a heartfelt message that resonates with many.
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