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Review: Ted

By Christine Petralia

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

July 5, 2012

I know what you're thinking. A foul-mouthed, talking Teddy bear that sounds like Peter Griffin and who's best friend has a very thick Boston accent. But Ted is so much more.



The premise, John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) makes a wish when he is a little boy that his Teddy bear, aptly named Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), could talk. And by some miracle, when Bennett wakes up the next day, Ted can talk.  And here's where you just have to accept that a Teddy bear can talk, as does the rest of the world does in the film. Ted becomes famous. But as Bennett grows older, so does Ted. And at the age of 35, the pair still live together with Bennett's girlfriend, Lori Collins (Mila Kunis).



However, after four years, Collins wants her relationship to grow and she wants Bennett to grow up, which includes making Ted move out. At first, Ted is resistant, but then realizes he can get an awesome bachelor pad of his own. And Bennett still hangs out with Ted even more. He starts skipping work more, lies to his boss and even ditches Collins' stuffy work party to go to Ted's party with Sam Jones, aka Flash Gordon, their idol.



Bennett and Ted have a falling out, when Collins breaks up with Bennett. However, after some time and a hotel 'fight' scene, Ted is determined to get the pair back together, even if it means he has to stay out of their lives forever. But just as the two are patching things up, Ted gets kidnaped by an obsessed fan Donny (Giovanni Ribisi) and his creepy son. And soon, after all the drama, they all live happily ever after.



Ted had me laughing all the way through to the end. I loved it from the very beginning, when they explain that Ted is in fact real and it's a miracle that everyone just accepts. It makes the plot more believable.And even though he's foul-mouthed and rude, he's a funny bastard with a big heart. There is a lot going on in some scenes, such as the party scene, that you probably have to see this film more than once to get it all.



My only one problem with the film was the lack of chemistry between Wahlberg and Kunis, but once you look past that, and focus more on the fact that Ted looks amazingly real, it's a great film. I probably could have also done without Bennett's singing at the Norah Jones concert to try and win Collins back. But, surprisingly, Wahlberg's accent didn't bother me. Also, surprisingly, there is a part in the film that everyone can relate to. And Ribisi's portrayal of a 'loving' father and obsessed, creepy fan is dead on.



I recommend everyone see this film. Well, except kids, I suppose.

4 stars.

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