Ted

Release Date: Jun 29, 2012 

Runtime: 1 hr. 46 min. 

Director: Seth MacFarlane 

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi.

If toys could talk, they'd probably utter obscenities - for Seth MacFarlane, anyway. From the brain that brought you "Family Guy," comes a heartfelt story of love and friendship, between a manchild and his teddy bear. Mark Wahlberg stars as John Bennett, whose wish for a real-life companion is magically granted. Enter Ted: the foul-mouthed, booze-drinking stuffed toy. For any fan of MacFarlane's show, this is basically a live-action replica of the cartoon sitcom. Only, replace the dog with a bear and throw out all family values. Moreover, it's vulgar, unrestricted...and better yet, just as hilarious. And this is partly due to the peculiarity that is Mark Wahlberg. Though typically inclined towards more dramatic roles, his comedic performances are what always stand out. Case in point: "The Other Guys." His humor combined with his deadpan expression are a trademark of the actor, not to mention his recent rapport with a talking bear. Which brings us to MacFarlane, the voice behind the animal. His vocal presence on "Family Guy" is unmistakably the main essence of the show, and it continues to be so in "Ted." The CGI ingeniously captures his personality full-on, including all the cynicism that comes along with it. And there's no limit to what he can pull off in an R-rated comedy. This may be why the film takes on a darker tonality in the third act, which somewhat dampens the mood. It could have done without the masochism, but hey, that's just his style. Either way, "Ted" is one of the more creative comedies to come around in awhile, and we have Peter Griffin to thank for that.

Rating: 3½ stars