The Funniest High School Party Movie Lands On Netflix
If you feel like watching a Jonah Hill classic, Superbad, a coming-of-age teen buddy comedy—which had a massive cultural impact, just dropped on Netflix. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Superbad was a massive hit that offered a unique blend of raunchy humor and heart, with many memorable scenes—some of which had real-life consequences in terms of getting teenagers arrested.
The movie Superbad follows friends Evan and Seth—portrayed by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, respectively—and their nerdy-but-trusty sidekick Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) as they try to score some cool points by supplying a high school party with alcohol, party with the cool kids, and lose their virginity.
But, as most comedies go, their plan proves harder than expected. More specifically, both Evan and Seth have made specific promises to their respective crushes regarding alcohol, which they now have to procure.
Of course, being high schoolers implies that they’re younger than 21, meaning they can’t get their hands on any booze—at least not legally. That’s why the underage triple threat, or the three musketeers, decides to solicit Fogell to get a fake ID and buy drinks for the party.
The fake ID scene, and the movie along with it, became so iconic that now, nearly 15 years later, many local convenience and liquor stores feature signs that say “NO MCLOVINS”—most probably referring to youths who thought their elders didn’t watch Superbad.
Of course, Fogell, being a good friend, obtains a fake ID and even picks a name for himself—McLovin. Just McLovin, like Maddona, or Prince, or, as Cera’s character stated, “an Irish R&B singer.” Despite the mockery, Fogell still enters the convenience store and manages to score the booze for the party.
This is perhaps the most iconic scene in the entire Superbad film and only attests to its comedic value by highlighting the lengths teens will go to fit in with their peers and simply have fun.
Furthermore, this scene alone prompted entire generations of teens to engage with the shady market of novelty IDs and procure a McLovin ID with their face on it, turning the scene and the whole movie into a sign of teenage rebellion by symbolizing the youthful desire to grow up and do what all adults do—whatever they want to. Pff, if only that was true.
Regardless, the scene, and the movie along with it, became so iconic that now, nearly 15 years later, many local convenience and liquor stores feature signs that say “NO MCLOVINS”—most probably referring to youths who thought their elders didn’t watch Superbad. And therein lies the whole charm of Superbad.
The awkward humor and the desire to fit in and have fun are all experiences most of us went through as teens ourselves, and Superbad manages to capture those experiences and portray them in a humorous way.
Superbad Catapulted Michael Cera And Jonah Hill’s Careers
Following the success of Superbad, Michael Cera continued his acting career with notable roles in movies such as Juno, Youth in Revolt—a watered-down adaptation of an absolutely vile and incredibly funny novel of the same name—and the instantly recognizable Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Jonah Hill has a successful acting career, starring in films such as The Wolf of Wall Street and War Dogs. Mintz-Plasse starred in movies such as Neighbors and How to Train Your Dragon, among many other prominent cinematic releases.
Superbad Was A Hit Among Critics And Audiences
As stated at the beginning, Superbad was a massive success, both among the critics and the audience—it has an 88 percent on the Tomatometer and an 87 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the latter being based on more than 250,000 ratings.
The movie made more than $33 million on its opening weekend and stayed at #1 the second week, grossing an additional $18 million. The overall box office gross was slightly over $170 million, which might not sound as much, but it’s actually a great number considering a sub-$20 million budget.
Superbad actually turned a massive financial profit, making it the highest-grossing high school comedy in the domestic market at the time. The movie was eventually surpassed by 21 Jump Street, which was released in 2012, starring none other than Jonah Hill. Its massive success and comedic value got Superbad listed on Empire’s 500 Greatest Films of All Time, along with several awards and award nominations.
If you’re in the mood for something funny and carefree, we strongly recommend watching Superbad. Much to the amusement of comedy buffs everywhere, the film just recently dropped on Netflix.
