Is Judd Apatow doing my job?

Disclaimer: I do not encourage people to go out and rent the movies i am going to talk about in this blog. These movies are R-rated because of nudity, subject matter and drug references. Be a smart movie watcher and research them first.

I'll admit this. I've watched half of superbad and thought it was hilarious. I've watched Role Models and laughed out loud. I've watched Tropic Thunder and maybe laughed at the worst part of the movie. I've become a sucker for gross comedies.

HAHAHA! Oh my goodness...i'm gonna tell a horrible story. I saw the movie "Something About Mary" in the theaters with my wife when we were graduating from High School. It was stupid and very very funny. I remember having my best friend/future wife explain to me a scene involving a male bodily function. a Major low point on my coolness scale.

I haven't seen that movie since that time. If i remember correctly it was basically a goofy (and dirty) romance comedy. Like the Van Wilder movies and american pie movies and all the teenage boys trying to lose their virginity movies. What i thought superbad was going to be about.

Apparently Judd Apatow is trying to steal my job. Mr. Apatow is the producer of Superbad. He has also produced the 40 year old virgin & knocked up. I was introduced to Mr. Apatow by a 16 year old guy who used to attend the church youth group my wife and I were leading. Superbad is a story of two senior teenagers who are trying to get to a party and have sex before heading off to college. Yet under this plot (and all the penis jokes and drinking) there is a not so sutble focus on male friendships and male role models. So, while all these teens are laughing their butts off they are also resonating with the deeper things portrayed in this movie.

being a youth worker I'm challenged by these movies. Not cause of what they show in it but because am I being as relevant? Am I able to show teenagers (especially young men) that deep friendships are okay and they can talk about their feelings, and have feelings and still be funny and macho?

I'm glad that after i watched half of superbad with this youth we were able to talk about what we saw in the movie and how he felt it related to him. It didn't turn into a sunday school lesson (that would be super creative on my part!) but we were able to speak about the need for male role models and adults taking an interest in his life and how its okay to love your friends and tell them.

So, yay for stupid comedies with meanings. I look forward to the next next one coming out, I Love You, Man. I think Apatow is really getting at something. Hopefully people can hear it.