I have rarely walked away from a trip to the cinema with regret that the film had to finish. Ted is Seth MacFarlane‘s debut as director, co-writer and co-producer and if the tears of laughter throughout the cinema theatre were anything to go by, his first taste of working for the big screen is most definitely a successful one.
I must admit it was my husband who was the most keen out of both of us to see this film. However my sides ached with laughter by the end. I can understand how some people would be offended with the type of humour used. Most of it is what I would call ‘awkward humour’ the sort that makes you suck the air in between your teeth at the lack of political correctness of it all however most of it is what you wish you had the gall to say yourself. With Seth MacFarlane at the wheel of this motion picture, you can not help but draw similarities with Family Guy.
If you have ever enjoyed the humour of MacFarlane’s animation, Ted is most definitely the film for you. It is so close to that of Family Guy that the voice-overs are also playing lead roles in this film. Family Guy viewers will most definitely feel at home. Yet if you have never seen an episode of Family Guy you will in no way feel lost or indeed misunderstand the humour.
Everyone wishes for that one life-long friend and I remember falling asleep as a child and wishing my favourite doll would come to life and be my friend for life. Even now at the age of 31 I wish I had a life-long friend who I could call my own. Ted was for me an adult version of Toy Story but in no way is it a film for children and I was somewhat surprised at the leniency of its 15 certificate.
This is the hardest film I have ever tried to review as I desperately want to avoid any spoilers. Everyone remarks on my stubbornness and I am insistent on having you choking on your popcorn and pick ‘n’ mix with laughter at what I like to call ‘rewind scenes’ which I wish I could rewind and watch again and again.
Don’t get me wrong, Ted is not swamped in humour but also has action scenes that can in its own right rival any other film of that genre so much so that you forget you are actually watching a teddy bear on-screen. There are even scenes for the softies among us all of which clearly illustrates MacFarlane’s talent, skill and diversity in writing.
It has ultimately ignited my childhood wish: Can I have a teddy bear?