A raunchy, high-concept studio comedy with a strong novelty hook and a few genuinely funny stretches, but the humor is very much of its era and the emotional arc is thinner than the premise suggests. It works best as a crude buddy comedy with fantasy garnish rather than a sharp romantic-comedy or a deep character… Read more
Ted
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Fantasy
Fri · 1h 47m
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane
Overview
John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear or his girlfriend, Lori.
Director
Seth MacFarlane
Cast
Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane
Curator Review
Verdict
A raunchy, high-concept studio comedy with a strong novelty hook and a few genuinely funny stretches, but the humor is very much of its era and the emotional arc is thinner than the premise suggests. It works best as a crude buddy comedy with fantasy garnish rather than a sharp romantic-comedy or a deep character piece.
Best for
fans of broad R-rated studio comedies
viewers who like irreverent pop-culture humor
people open to crude but playful fantasy premises
audiences looking for an easygoing hangout movie
Skip if
you dislike juvenile or shock-based jokes
you want a sweeter family-friendly teddy-bear story
you prefer tightly written character comedy
you are sensitive to dated early-2010s humor
Overview
Ted is built on a great comic idea: what if a childhood toy grew up into the worst possible roommate? That premise gives the movie a lot of its energy, and the film knows how to milk the contrast between cuddly iconography and aggressively adult behavior for laughs.
Worth noting
The comedy is hit-or-miss, but when it lands, it lands because the movie commits to the bit. It also benefits from a breezy pace and a willingness to be stupid in a very specific, mainstream way that made it a big crowd-pleaser at the time.
Bottom line
What keeps it from being more than a novelty is that the relationship drama is fairly standard and the movie often leans on shock value instead of sharper escalation. Still, if you’re in the mood for a crude fantasy bromance with a few memorable set pieces, it remains an easy watch.
Top Letterboxd reviews
adambolt (1.5★) · 5678 likes
ay lois im a teddy bear
megan (4★) · 3897 likes
LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID LOOK WHAT JESUS DID
Arnon🪐 (1.5★) · 3516 likes
To prove how much of a menace I am, I’m telling my kids this is Paddington
Dakota Joaquin (4★) · 2604 likes
Hey Letterboxd, giving this glorious work of art a 2.9 average rating doesn’t make you cool nor intelligent nor prestigious nor cinematically informed. It makes you ostentatiously obnoxious and conspicuously pretentious. I’m very disappointed in your behavior. Do better.
James (Schaffrillas) (3★) · 2442 likes
I think Seth MacFarlane just made this so he could meet Flash Gordon
Themes
adult friendship, immature masculinity, romantic commitment, wish fulfillment, fantasy intrusion into everyday life, crude humor, pop-culture parody, coming-of-age delay
Topics
R-rated comedy, fantasy comedy, bromance, raunchy humor, early 2010s, pop-culture satire, relationship conflict, buddy movie, irreverent, mainstream studio comedy