ted2….    2.8***

   

 

     After seeing the first TED film and being mildly amused, I was only somewhat looking forward to a sequel. As most sequels go, I didn't expect this to be as good as the first one. However, it ended up being somewhat better. It contains plenty of hilarious dialogue that had me laughing at times. And yes, the dialogue is as raunchy and vulgar as it was in the first film, or perhaps even more so. The gags were funny… not hilarious but laughable. There are a few gross-out scenes that may not be funny to everyone..so be prepared.. Ted is as potty-mouth funny as ever and often steals the show with his off-the-wall humor. Mark Wahlberg holds his own as Ted’s best Bro and also manages to be funny, perhaps even more so than in the first movie. Here, his character seems even more dumber and often leads Ted and himself into the some hysterical and unpleasant shenanigans.

 

I was pleased by the casting of Amanda Seyfried as  Samantha L. Jackson,  Ted's pot-smoking, novice lawyer who helps John and Ted with their mission to have Ted declared to be a”‘person”. The scenes of the trio just chilling out together are the best in the film, the highlight being the scenes in the library when they are supposedly "working". Seyfried is much stronger, and certainly more interesting, than Mila Kunis' character was in the first film, most likely because her character is actually allowed to join in on the fun. . 

 

Throughout the movie, there is  all manner of crass and politically incorrect humor. There are some neat cameos that add to the humor :Morgan Freeman as a famous civil rights lawyer, and "Flash Gordon" actor Sam Jones as himself plus Tom Brady and Liam Neeson . There are also pop culture and historical references galore, including songs, TV shows and movies from several different decades, helped to no small degree by a key scene at a New York City Comic-Con, with most of the participants dressing as their favorite comic book or sci-fi characters.  

Rated R for crude and sexual content, raunchy language, and some drug use.

Clark