We went to see Knocked Up the other day. I didn’t think it was the instant classic A. O. Scott called it, but it was funny. (I liked The 40 Year Old Virgin a bit more, partially because the lead was a lot more charming and the story had more focus, but in both cases I kind of like Judd Apatow’s approach to romantic comedy: If two flawed people get together, romance isn’t going to suddenly make them better. As a result, in both films don’t end with “Happily Ever After”…more like “We’ll Give It A Good Try!”)

Anyway, this was supposed to be about the experience watching the movie, not a review, and nothing stands out more than watching any movie sitting near The Really High Woman Who Talks REALLY LOUD (hereinafter referred to as RHW).

RHW and her male friend walked into the theater as the trailers were playing, and he somehow got her up to our row as she weaved alarmingly. I thought perhaps she was just having some issues balancing the gigantic hair someone had placed on her head. (She seemed unfamiliar with it.)

They sat down, and RHW asked some loud questions of her paramour about the trailers that weren’t entirely intelligible. She then announced she was hungry, to no one in particular.

Then the movie came on. Knocked Up features an alarming amount of pot smoking through the first half of the movie. (Seriously. I really like Harold & Kumar, and this movie made that one seem like one of those talking, anti-drug dog commercials. In Knocked Up, you just hope they’re not in an enclosed area so they can get oxygen.) This fact seems to have touched a nerve in RHW, who proceeded to yell at various points during the first 15 minutes:

“THEY’RE SO HIIIIIGH! HAHAHAHAHA!”

“LOOK AT THEM!”

“I WISH I HAD SOME OF THAT!”

“I’M SOOOOOO JEALOUS!”

“HAHAHAHAHA…LOOK AT THAT BONG!”

“OOOH, I WANT THAT…HAHAHAHAHA!”

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I find that kind of running commentary more entertaining than any movie, but what really amused me was what happened next:

“I WANT To…mumble…mumble…LET’S GO! HAHAHAHAHAHaHaHahahahahaha….” And they left. Less than 20 minutes into the movie. We were wondering if they went to get food and got distracted. We just hoped she wasn’t driving.

So, kids, think of it this way: If you’re overly enthusiastic about marijuana, our anecdotal research indicates you will waste $17.00 on movie tickets on most modern comedies.

In the meantime, I’m kind of hoping she comes to see the sequel to Superman Returns. “HEY, THAT GUY’S FLYING! I WANT TO FLY! WOOOOOOOSH!” :)