REVIEW - TED

There are lines you just don't cross. Offense is subjective, so it can be hard to gauge where these lines are, but they do exist. I applaud those who toy with these lines, whether ironically or plain recklessly, but even then, there are still lines you just do not cross. You know Seth MacFarlane generally only wants to wind up the puritans, so vulgarity is on the moderate end of the scales here, as is the strength of social or cultural jokes (his act of subverting homophobia and other prejudices by employing them in his humour is unsubtle and has become overused, though). I suppose his goal is to emphasise his intelligence in wrapping his verbal jokes up in layers of excessive - and unrealistic - verbosity, but he surely only ends up confusing those whom the jokes are aimed at, and embarrassing those who understand the linguistic grandiloquence. MacFarlane also unknowingly stumbles over one line, despite marked attempts to counter this movement: his female lead, played by Mila Kunis, eventually becomes an accessory to the action and a pawn in other peoples' stories. She is generously given her own point of view, and is portrayed as the sensible character in her relationship, but her only pressing concern seems to be her man. She has every reason to leave him, and does, until she returns to him, learning to love his impudence, fecklessness, and intrusive best friend, for apparently nothing in return but a ring. I wanted more of her (in a better film), more of Mark Wahlberg's naked rear end, and less of that wiseass teddy bear. He's the one who crosses the line. He disses Katy Perry. There are lines you just don't cross.