It would be easy to say that Ted is Family Guy with fur. Not only is the title character's voice almost identical to Peter Griffin's, but the raunchy, pop-culture-referenced, sex-based comedy mirrors that of the popular cartoon series. The difference, however, lies in the pertinence of the laughs to the film's main plot. Granted, the premise is very simple and nothing to shout about, but at least, in contrast to MacFarlane's show, the jokes generally move the story along instead of standing alone in isolated cutaways. While it could be argued that it lasts a bit too long (Woody Allen understood that the best comedies wrap themselves up inside 90 minutes) and comes close to losing its hold on the audience, Ted is still much more satisfying than most recent American comedies (seen The Watch anyone?), a quality also attributable in no small part to Mark Whalberg's laid back, doe-eyed, warmhearted portrayal of a Flash Gordon infatuated man-child who is forced to choose between his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) and his bear. Much like the chemistry between man and teddy, the film's suspension of disbelief is surprisingly easy to grasp onto (Ted's sudden life being simply attributed to the power of a 'child's wish') as Ted's furry antics give us the most original, laugh-out-loud bromance comedy since 2009's I Love You Man (and you don't have to be a Family Guy fan to appreciate it).
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