Today, we select 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' in celebration of lead actor Jason Segel's birthday.
Synopsis
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller. The story revolves around Peter Bretter (portrayed by Jason Segel), a struggling musician who is devastated when his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (played by Kristen Bell), abruptly ends their long-term relationship. In an attempt to move on, Peter decides to take a vacation to Hawaii, only to discover that Sarah and her new boyfriend, the charismatically eccentric rock star Aldous Snow (portrayed by Russell Brand), are staying at the same resort. Amidst awkward encounters and newfound friendships, Peter navigates the challenges of heartbreak and self-discovery. The film combines humor, romance, and relatable moments, offering a fresh take on the complexities of relationships and personal growth.
Why Today?
January 18, 1980, is Jason Segel's birthday. In celebration of his birthday, we're featuring his breakout film and comedy gem, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a project he not only starred in, but also wrote.
Segel also starred in and wrote the very charming The Muppets, which was also directed by Stoller. Since 2014's very poorly received Sex Tape, Segel has mostly done indie and smaller films, notably earning critical praise for The End of the Tour in 2015. More recently, he's been more noted for his television work, including an excellent performance in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and received awards attention for starring and co-creating Shrinking on Apple TV+.
We could've gone some different directions here, but the choices from the last couple of days have been a bit long and weighty, so going with something lighter here is a nice change of pace to balance things out. There are nearly no other relevant movie dates, events, or birthdays for the 18th, but Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a worthy choice.