Ted

An excellent romp, strong on detail and references to things that I grew up on. Although the alpha to omega here is a foul-mouthed teddy bear, overall this is a classic story about leaving behind your childhood. MacFarlane excellently layers up funny scenes and wraps them in a format received by the masses with smiles and ovations. A shame that only fairytales have a happy ending. When you going to buy me a ring, asshole? (03/08/2012)

Ted is a conventional American comedy with an unconventional main character in the form of a cuddly teddy bear who has no problem being crass with anyone he meets. It's a filthy, disgusting, sometimes quite funny, but very predictable and does not bring anything new for the table, which stands out only because of the fantasy line around the animated toy. The script was indeed peppery, and there were also all sorts of hints and cameos by various familiar faces. In short, for me personally, this was not the comedy of the year by any means, but I understand that many viewers were interested, amused and properly moved by this film (25/08/2013)

A romantic comedy crossed with a fairy tale and an action thriller. That’s a wild combination, but it’s also easily watchable thanks to the central duo. Ted fights against the embarrassing nature of its subject matter with the help of would-be adult humour, which proves to be truly mature and not blatantly politically incorrect only a few times (the two best jokes are delivered to us shortly before the credits roll). Though MacFarlane stages the scenes in a very sitcom-like manner (two seated characters conversing), he still manages to make excellent use of the combination of the teddy bear’s cute appearance and debauched nature. Thanks to that, some moments are ambiguous, entertaining and touching all at the same time. The genre shift in the last third isn’t overly disruptive. Furthermore, in order for the protagonist to finally grow up, he has to face a truly serious situation, which for him is characteristically not the risk of breaking up with his girlfriend (which he accepts with the attitude of “I’m a loser, so it goes”), but the risk of losing a lifelong friend and thus, in the figurative sense, of losing his connection to the world of his childhood. Unlike in other romantic comedies, the protagonist’s transformation from an unreliable slacker into a responsible partner isn’t definitive and irreversible – he is still leniently allowed to goof off, quote from Flash Gordon, take bong hits and timidly crawl under a blanket during a storm. Thanks to that, together with the numerous allusions, references and homages (including a bizarre quote of a scene from a parody that serves to demonstrate the degree to which John’s mind is infected with eighties pop culture), Ted is a perfect piece for analysing the ways in which Hollywood is ingratiating itself to a significant group of viewer made up of men who are not exactly young, but are definitely immature and refuse to grow up. 75% (04/08/2012)

I didn't promise too much about "Ted", but I was simply drawn to a poster where Mark Wahlberg and Teddy Bear were standing with their backs to the viewer and urinating in urinals with a bottle in hand. This is just the right type of humor that suits me. I wasn't mistaken because what was offered to me was an excellent comedy with some unexpected jokes, others well-developed, but above all, this comedy just works and offers every viewer to find what they need here. The bolder ones have truly crude humor that can shock the weaker-minded, but for fans, there is plenty of humor and also great references, such as the one to "Flash Gordon". When the melody of Darth Vader sounds from the phone as Wahlberg's girlfriend's ringtone, you can't help but smile, just like when the opening melody of the series "Knight Rider" plays when Ted calls. The film rides on pop culture references and allusions, where even current things are mentioned, such as the flop "Jack and Jill". There are truly a lot of references here, and in order for the viewer to truly enjoy the film, they must have some knowledge of various aspects of American culture. Someone who has never been interested in basketball probably won't understand Ted's reference to someone named Kareem. But there's much more to it than that. What pleasantly surprises is Mark Wahlberg's performance, whom I have recently had the pleasure of seeing in weaker films. In this case, he shines and is great as the character, and the moment when he sings is truly awful, and therefore also unforgettable. Cameos by Tom Skerritt and Sam Jones (portraying Flash Gordon), who is a really nice surprise, and Norah Jones in a great small role also please. In this film, humor and emotions are presented in such a cocktail that it shook me and I have to rate it really high. It was an experience for me, but it's true that not everyone will find the humor appealing, and the film is more for the chosen ones who are not afraid of a bit of rough humor and profanity. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/08/jane-eyre-ekologicka-afrika-cislo.html (24/02/2013)

MacFarlane deserves 4* just for the way he deals with one pseudo-star of the Twilight franchise in the final seconds. I loved the bear, I loved the relaxed Mark Wahlberg, I loved the clever pop culture references to all sorts of things. It was a pretty nice one-off. I was also intrigued by that mom who obviously mistook the film, probably lured by the children's title, sitting next to me with her little girl. About 10 minutes in, during one of the dialogues, which was full of orals and anals, she went rushing out of the theatre :o) (29/07/2012)