Let’s see, hapless man-child? Check. Endless 80’s pop culture references? Check. Animals and inanimate objects that talk in funny accents? Check.
This can mean only one thing: Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) has finally taken his patented comic formula to the big screen. However, it proves to wear thin once it reaches its third act.
Ted follows John (Mark Wahlberg, Contraband) as he navigates between his relationship with his long-term girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis, Friends with Benefits), and his life-long relationship with his talking stuffed bear, Ted (MacFarlane). This ultimately leads to John being forced to choose between them.
The plot isn’t really the point of the movie, as it only serves as background to a series of sight gags and crude humor. If anything, the plot is so predictable that it actually slows the movie down and gets in the way of the jokes.
However, if you’re already a fan of MacFarlane’s brand of humor, then this is the film for you. All of the boundary-pushing humor seen in his various animated programs is present. He even throws in a few cutaway gags as a nod to the show that got him here.
With that being said, the film at times feels like just that, an overlong sitcom full of one-liners, with little to no plot to help guide the movie to a satisfying conclusion.
Ted suffers because of its largely one note premise. While it’s a hilarious note, once you get over the fact that this stuffed bear smokes pot and spends far too much time with prostitutes (isn’t any time far too much time?) the joke kind of loses its effect.
The film relies too heavily on the fact that Ted is a talking bear, which would be normal fare for a MacFarlane animated sitcom, but becomes a little unbearable (pun intended) when stretched out to feature length.
The movie’s easy to pick apart, but it’s hardly trying to be Citizen Kane. Judge it on its own terms: as a movie heavy on jokes and light on everything else.
diversions@umdbk.com
