Supergood

The movie Superbad follows three misfits that attempt to fit in with the popular crowd, nearing the end of their senior years of high school. This effort is ultimately challenged by their dependency on one another and their inability to escape social awkwardness at every turn.

Superbad accomplishes the idea behind Aristotle's definition of comedy, by providing a hero to the story, ordinary characters, and a happy ending. The hero in the film took the form of two characters, Evan and Seth, in their struggle to impress the girls they like Jules and Becca. In their efforts to impress the girls, they attempt to use their friend's fake id and nonexistent charm to win them over. Additionally, Evan and Seth double as heroes and ordinary people that fit Aristotle's scheme to a comedy. Evan, Seth, and their other friend Fogell play the largest roles of ordinary characters, by acting as overly  goofy versions of typical high school students. Their roles clearly fit Aristotle's idea behind ordinary characters, who play their part to the tune of eventually obtaining their goals. After the evolution of the characters and the story, Aristotle's happy ending comes in to play as they eventually have an opportunity with their dream girls, even after screwing their first chances up. The movie also included sexual jokes to relate even further to Aristotle's version of comedy.

Superbad's use of heroes, ordinary characters, happy ending, and sexual jokes clearly fall within Aristotle's definition of comedy, but these aspects do not necessarily make the movie have a strong purpose. I believe this movie does an excellent job at using the components of Aristotle's comedy, but the movie does not have a significant purpose outside of being amusing. I believe that the comedy is a meaningful art form, and even more so when it clearly follows Aristotle's structure, but I don't believe this movie represents the deeper meaning that comedies have the potential of accomplishing.