Ted AKA Family Guy 2.0

Ted
Director: Seth MacFarlene
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Seth MacFarlene
Box Office Gross: $218,628,680 (USA)
DVD Review

This film was a strange one for me. I wasn't sure where it fit in my movie schedule. Originally released in June 2012, it wasn't quite appealing enough for me to add to the Summer Movie List. But after hearing that the film was really funny, I started to doubt my decision. I wanted to see it, but not badly enough to find a time to go to the theatre to see it. So I added it to the "rental" pile.

I finally managed to watch Ted a few weeks ago. I was not impressed. It was too long and not funny enough to keep me entertained for the 106 minute duration. I just don't get what all the fuss was about.

Mark Wahlberg, who has participated in some successful comedies including The Other Guys and Date Night, teamed up with Seth MacFarlene and veteran MacFarlene collaborator, Mila Kunis, for this raunchy rom-com/buddy flick. Wahlberg portrays John Bennett, a socially awkward child who wishes his newly received teddy bear could talk to him.John's wish comes true and he gains a new friend in his stuffed toy, Ted, who becomes famous for being a "talking stuffed teddy bear". Years pass and John has grown up into a unmotivated man and Ted has not left his side. The two continue to get involved in crazy antics, which hinder John's progression in his career and in his personal life with girlfriend, Lori (Kunis).

Here's the biggest problem with Ted: it's a live action version of Family Guy. MacFarlene has basically recycled the main plot points of his hit television show to create a feature length film. The story is way to drawn out to justify an almost two-hour long film and probably could have fared better as an 80 minute feature.

Both Kunis and Wahlberg are great in their roles and have a decent amount of chemistry. It's a shame they weren't given more to work with. What's even more unfortunate are the plans that are already in the works for a sequel to this bland comedy.

Final Verdict: Skip it. Unless you're a Family Guy fan and you like that type of humour, don't bother with this lackluster comedy. I understand the appeal behind a MacFarlene story, I just don't get the humour. Sure there were a few moments I indulged in a chuckle, but nothing that stuck out in my eyes. A.O. Scott from The New York Times said it best when he called Ted "boring, lazy and wildly unoriginal". Here's hoping the next MacFarlene venture brings something more original to the table.

Rotten Tomatoes