Ted

Seth McFarlane is in his element when writing sharp-witted, snappy, pop-culture infused raunchy humor, and his foray into film picks up right where Family Guy leaves off (I'm not mentioning American Dad or the Cleveland Show because frankly, they are pandering to FOX, and aren't original or funny).

Ted reunites McFarlane with Mila Kunis, who is coming into her own as a hot, comedic leading lady. She's joined by the irascible Mark Walhberg, who has shown real talent in his own comedic endeavors. Ted is a teddy bear that comes to life and becomes best friends with Walhberg, but stunts his maturation, and is standing in the way of his future with Kunis.

Like most buddy films, there is chemistry in the banter between Marky-Mark and the McFarlane voiced Ted. There is equally strong chemistry between Mark and Mila, which adds a depth to this film that is missing from many of this genre (which is inches away from screwball comedy, but still one step in some form of reality). The film clings to the absurd behavior of Ted, and the audience is sucked into believing that not only is it possible that a teddy bear can come to life, but also that everything around them can be business as usual. Nobody bats an eye around him. He smokes pot, gets prostitutes, watches movies with his buddy, gets an apartment, and even gets a job that puts him on the fast track to management (a nice little sidebar).

Ted doesn't get too bogged down with plot or character development, that's not McFarlane's style. It's full of cameos (Ryan Reynolds is superb) and zingers, and is just plain fun. Giovanni Ribisi, who is a vastly under-appreciated actor gets to ham it up a bit more than ever before, and hits the mark. Joel McHale and Patrick Warburton add flavor, and basically nobody lingers on the screen long enough to get stale.

Ted broke the opening weekend record for an R-rated comedy, and it is justified. Granted, there is a huge cult following for Family Guy, but the writing is great. If you're a fan of crude humor, and like the idea of a talking teddy bear, you will love it. Throw in a shot of 80's pop culture references and you've got a comedy that's perfect for the 30-40 year old man who isn't quite grown up yet.

Do you like Flash Gordon and cocaine? I hope so. See this if you want a good laugh, but avoid it if you're easily offended. 7/10.