In Review: Ted 2

by Maryann O'Connor on 11/07/2015

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Flash marries Ted and Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) at the start of the film and everyone gets their happy ending. But when the newlyweds apply to adopt a kid the government cottons on to Ted [not paying taxes] and he has to fight the power for his right to party as a sentient being. Mark Wahlberg, as thunder buddies must, backs him up at every turn. This is a sequel that threatens to bite the big one but rescues itself with ‘safe’ gross out and near the knuckle humour. This kind of writing is not a standard, so if you need assistance in your projects, contact writers via form at topwritingservice.com.

Amanda Seyfried plays Ted’s consistently half-baked newbie lawyer Samantha, standing up in court to liken Ted’s experience to that of slaves in America once upon a time while the bad guy from the first film (Giovanni Ribisi) cooks up another plan to get Ted all to himself. It certainly sounds like a very bad sequel. In line with those initial impressions, the first twenty minutes or so are uncertain and the film could go either way; it could go all out civil rights and ridiculous itself right into all the bad film lists or it could tell another Flash Gordon or Star Wars joke and hula into the Family Guy comfort zone. Which of those it does is totally dependent on personal taste, even more so than usual. Ted 2 is a complete surrender to the comic style that director/writer Seth MacFarlane is most known for.

Simply put, if you liked Ted you will like Ted 2. The constant on the edge of tastelessness humour and pop culture references flow thick and fast but not to the point of being too much. Ted 2 is at its essence a series of nostalgia-tinted sketches held together by an almost dubious main concept, but it just about works. The performances are merely safe for most of the film but you have to give Wahlberg props for his buy in to the whole Teddy bear real life best friend scenario.

Of course Ted 2 could be criticised for the appropriation of slavery history. Yes, it does seem ridiculous. But it would be hard not to appreciate the effort to remind people just how ridiculous the notions underlying the subjugation of one set of humans were, and still are. Clearly some still need reminding.

Maryann has awarded Ted 2 three Torches of Truth

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