So what do Bridesmaids, Horrible Bosses, The Hangover Part 2, Bad Teacher, The Inbetweeners and the upcoming Friends With Benefits and Change Up have in common? A whole lot of swearing, sex and more swearing. Welcome everyone, to the age of the ‘adult comedy’
Before the ‘wolf pack’ had a rather heavy night in Vegas a couple of years ago, the adult comedy was a land of danger.
In America, the ‘R’ rating (anything over a 12A here) was considered box office poison. Big studios always like to play it safe, go for the family crowd and get in the mega bucks. That’s why every blockbuster comes out as a 12A over here, because the studios want teenagers to flock to the multiplexes. Yes there was American Pie and Something About Mary, but they very much stood alone.
But, back in 2005, the supposed ‘frat-pack’ grew a brain and the good R-rated comedy was back on the studios nice list. Still though, it was just director Judd Apatow and his acolytes making waves, and no-one else was willing to take the risks.
Then came The Hangover. Heralded by critics, adored by audiences and making more money than some small countries, it not only moved the goal posts, it re-arranged them into crude words.
Now, every comedy has climbed aboard the expletive express. We all forget about Cedar Rapids, Hall Pass, Take Me Home Tonight and Horrible Bosses, just because there are now so many cussing comedies, some just pass us by.
Take Me Home Tonight was even released from its post-production limbo simply because the R-Rated comedy is flying so high. The soon to be released Change Up was actually modified to include more swearing, just to ram home the point.
The proof is in the profits though for just how big the adult comedy has come. Bridesmaids and Bad Teacher have both taken over $200 million, Horrible Bosses isn’t far behind and The Hangover’s made nearly $600 million. And if there’s anything that Hollywood loves, its money. The fact that 15 rated comedies have made as much money as superheroes worldwide this summer says it all.
It’s a perfect formula. They’re cheap to make, easy to sell and nearly always will make a profit. They’re still fresh and new, and people usually get don’t get tired of a well timed swear.
So, for the time being, the gravy train is ploughing on and with another Hangover film already planned, we’re going to have at least another few years of depravity, crudeness and political un-correctness.
As long as the dollars keep coming, we’ll see more Bridesmaids and less Katherine Heigl or Kate Hudson rom-coms. Which is just the sort of news that can brighten up anyone’s week.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith
Tagged in Friends With Benefits Bridesmaids