Ted: A filthy-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear

Growing up is a really difficult process for some people, especially the adolescent stage which is hailed as the most confusing time. This becomes even more difficult if you do not have any really close friends to keep you company as you are figuring out life and everything around it. In order to cope, many people substitute real friends for things or made-up imaginary friends. Ted is a 2012 movie which picks up from a similar story.

John never had any really good friends who he could bank on. He was socially awkward as a kid and was not accepted by the bullies or even the people being bullied. One Christmas Eve, his parents got him a teddy bear for a gift who he was excited to have as a companion. Later that night, John wished his bear could come to life to be his best friend forever and the wish came true. Years later, John is living in with his girlfriend of 4 years while Ted, his childhood teddy bear, bunks in the same apartment. Ted and John are 30-something slobs who sit around and smoke bongs all day which makes John slack at his job in a rent-a-car company. John’s girlfriend is fed up of Ted and the laid back lifestyle which doesn’t let John and her move forward with their lives. She gives John an ultimatum of picking between her and Ted moving out. Around the same time, John is approached by an old fan of Ted who asks John to ‘sell him the bear’. John has to figure out his life and how to balance the ultimate conundrum of his best friend versus his girlfriend.

Ted is directed by Seth MacFarlane, the maker of the Family Guy animated television series. It is the story of an awkward kid and his bear, which has been brought to life. As the kid grows up to be a man, so does the bear and they continue to hang out together with the progression of Lego blocks becoming weed bongs. The film uses similar humour as that used in Family Guy. It also uses similar background scoring as the television serial and has a common voice which is dubbed from the television series, that of director Seth MacFarlane. In fact, the film acknowledges the similarities by poking fun at the fact that the voice of Ted is the same as the voice of a famous Family Guy character.

The background music is reminiscent of the scoring used in 90’s family films. There is also use of a few comedic sound effects like that done in family comedies of the 90’s. The movie seems to replicate family films, which may be from a satirical viewpoint, but it isn’t actually a family film because of abrasive language and adult content which includes innuendos and partial nudity. There is a sense of confusion in the film which takes it from being a comedy to a drama to a thriller-action flick with the use of a seemingly misplaced car chase.

The film is nothing great in terms of its comedy. It is only a mildly humorous flick which can be a little disappointing if anyone watching it has great expectations from the cast and crew.