Superbad
Two socially awkward best friends chase alcohol, sex, and one unforgettable party before high school pulls them toward adulthood.
Overview
A wild day of mischief and mayhem leads to unexpected life lessons before graduation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- cringe-inducing
- casual comedy night
- friends night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film for balancing vulgar, excessive comedy with sincerity and an authentic portrayal of teenage friendship and high school awkwardness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Seth and Evan pursue alcohol and sexual experience before leaving for college, while their insecurities drive the comic conflict.
The final weeks of high school and imminent college move place Seth and Evan's inseparable friendship under pressure.
The attempt to obtain alcohol expands into encounters with police, parties, lies, and increasingly chaotic complications.
The film balances R-rated sexual humor, profanity, and intoxication with an earnest emotional focus on friendship and insecurity.
Films like Superbad, and why
Booksmart
raunchy high school coming-of-age comedy centered on awkward friendship, sexual anxiety, and a chaotic party night
Dazed and Confused
single-night teen comedy combining vulgar humor, outsider protagonists, friendship, and social awkwardness
The Breakfast Club
ensemble high school comedy about misfit teenagers, partying, and adolescent status anxiety
Pineapple Express
irreverent R-rated comedy built around immature male friendship, sexual embarrassment, and escalating misadventure
Movie Details
- Director
- Greg Mottola
- Release Date
- 2007-08-17
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (8396)
Cast
- Jonah Hill
- Michael Cera
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse
- Bill Hader
- Seth Rogen
- Martha MacIsaac
- Emma Stone
- Aviva Baumann
- Joe Lo Truglio
- Kevin Corrigan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Apple TV, YouTube TV, Starz Apple TV channel, Apple TV Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Superbad about?
- Two socially awkward best friends chase alcohol, sex, and one unforgettable party before high school pulls them toward adulthood.
- What is Superbad like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Superbad as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Superbad violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Superbad as mild.
- What did critics think of Superbad?
- Critics broadly praised the film for balancing vulgar, excessive comedy with sincerity and an authentic portrayal of teenage friendship and high school awkwardness.
- Which films are like Superbad?
- Films with a similar feel include Booksmart, Dazed and Confused, The Breakfast Club, and Pineapple Express.
- How long is Superbad?
- Superbad runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Superbad?
- In United States, Superbad streams on Apple TV, YouTube TV, Starz Apple TV channel, Apple TV Amazon Channel.
