Ted (2012) - Film Review

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis & Giovanni Ribisi

Screenplay: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild

Directed By: Seth MacFarlane

Certificate: 15

 

If there's at least one marmite comedian in America that springs to mind, it's Seth MacFarlane. His work, particularly Family Guy, is notable for dividing many critics, to the point where many are of the opinion that his comedy style just isn't funny, while others argue that he is one of the funniest comedians working today. While I personally enjoy most of his work, one of his films tends not to divide critics, and that is 2012's Ted. But is Ted's only joke the image of a swearing, alcoholic drug-taking teddy bear, or is there something deeper to be found here?

 

Ted opens in 1985, with a young John Bennett opening his new Christmas gift - a large teddy bear called Ted. John instantly falls in love with Ted, and wishes that he could real so they can be best friends forever. The last thing that anyone expected was for John's wish to come true, but come boxing day, Ted comes to life. Twenty-Seven years later, and the two are still best friends, but John's girlfriend Lori is beginning to realize that John can't live his life while continuing to spend most of his time with Ted. This leads John to the question of which is more important - Ted or Lori?

 

Now, some may say that it's cheesy, but I really liked and found the opening of Ted to be quite sweet, particularly with Ted coming to life just through the power of a child's wish. From this point on, the film focuses on a now-thirty-five year-old John Bennett having to keep his life with his teddy bear separate from his life with his girlfriend, Lori. While the Bromance vs. Romance story has been done time and time again, this one is unique, for an obvious reason: Ted. Ted is a great creation and instantly elevates the film to its own unique state. Just the idea of a child's teddy bear inviting prostitutes home and driving whilst high is a hilarious image.

 

However, the biggest problem that Ted could have faced is relying purely on that single funny image. Thankfully, it avoids this as it also has great characters and a relatable plot. Obviously, the main character here is still Ted. Ted is a character that, along with John, goes through great change as the film goes on. There are even some points in the film where Ted can be somewhat unlikeable, as it seems he may be preventing John and Lori's relationship from really taking off. However, by the third act, we see that isn't true at all, as he ends up being the one to put John and Lori's relationship back on track. Of course, throughout the film, he is incredibly funny, and this is thanks to some brilliant voice work from Seth MacFarlane. We also have John played just as well by Mark Wahlberg, and he's arguably the most sympathetic character here, having to go through a tough time of balancing his life with Ted and his life with Lori. His relationship with Ted is probably the best thing in the film and its amazing how well Mark Wahlberg is able to interact with a CGI teddy bear.

 

For me, the weak link of the three is probably Lori. Now this isn't because Lori is a bad or unlikeable character. However, I don’t feel that her character is quite as deep or as interesting as John or Ted. This again, isn’t a huge problem, but it arguably restricts Mila Kunis. From what I’ve seen of her in other roles, I think that she’s a brilliant and massively underrated actor. This film is no exception, but for me, it doesn't feel like there's quite enough substance in the script for her to sink her teeth into.

 

Being from the creators of Family Guy and American Dad, adult humour is going to be pretty abundant, and Ted delivers it by the bucket-load. Practically every character here, no matter how minor, gets the comedy spotlight. For me, some of the biggest laughs of the film come from Patrick Stewart's narration, which is just as entertaining as his work in other Seth MacFarlane projects. For more than an hour and a half, Ted delivers constant laughs, and as a result, there are very few people that I can imagine being bored by the film. However, while humour is definitely nailed, there are occasional moments where I feel that certain laughs are taken too far. While scenes such as the "There is a S#%@ on my floor!" are side-splitting, moments such as Flash Gordon punching through a wall feel silly in comparison.

 

In conclusion, Ted really is a fantastic film. No matter where you stand on Seth MacFarlane's comedy style, Ted is proof that he and the production team still have it in them. As for Ted itself, it has a very original and brilliant concept going for it, excellent main characters accompanied by some great acting and is incredibly funny. I can safely say that Ted is a great film, and that I definitely recommend.

 

 

Ted



8/10