Ted

Is there anyone in this world who really didn't grow up with a stuffed teddy bear? It's something that defines childhood and can create long lost memories. A fine example of this in the film world is Pixar's first film "Toy Story". It was about a boy's childhood told through toys; a story of kindness and the early years of school. Even though it may be somewhere in the back of the mind with those notions, the movie Ted is the exact opposite of what a teddy bear is or a film about teddy bears should be and that's what makes it fun.

In 1985 on Christmas morning in Boston, 8 year old version of John Bennett (Brett Manley) gets a stuffed teddy bear and John wishes the bear he calls Ted could be real. As it goes, Ted does turn real and an everlasting friendship starts. Now in 2012, still as friends, Ted and John are pot smoking, both have bad jobs and they look like they will never grow up. The plot involves both of them growing up and some more of that friendship.

With the older John Bennett being played by star Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane directing the movie and voicing Ted, no doubt this is a star-studded cast. Wahlberg is playing a tough character that brings both characteristics of a slacker and a hard worker but he evens out this character and gives a good performance. With many ties to the television show Family Guy, Ted definitely is more of a slacker than John but MacFarlane with good voice work makes Ted fit nicely into the story. Ted creates some messages that we have never seen before nor I don't think we will see again. The needed story that we do get is John's love interest Lori Collins (Mila Kunis) who has the necessary chemistry with Wahlberg and is a very likable and even lovable character .

Out of everything that MacFarlane does here that I like, what I like the most is how he plays a nerd in this story. From the Phantom Menace jokes, the Indiana Jones poster in the background in the first scene and all the cracks he makes about Flash Gordon, he gives a side of a director that is welcome in a film and I enjoyed it.

Ted is a strange concept and a silly film, especially the scenes at Fenway Park. Still, if you just go with it, it's pretty much bearable. (pardon the pun) This is a different coming of age story that could never not stand out.

4/5