Forgetting Sarah Marshall (15)

Having wondered aloud with the release of Drillbit Taylor a few weeks ago whether comedy maestro Judd Apatow was losing his touch, I now find myself eating humble pie.

Actually it would be humble pie with a slice of pineapple on top given the Hawaiian setting of this highly entertaining comedy.

And, as he has done consistently throughout his career, as he climbs the ladder Apatow seems determined to pull up a few behind him. This time round the beneficiary of his generosity is long-time Apatow cast member Jason Segel.

Since he was not blessed with what you would call conventional good looks, Segel was advised by Apatow to start writing material for himself. The result is this whip-smart comedy produced by Apatow and starring Segel.

He plays a composer dumped by his girlfriend, Kristen Bell – the dumping scene is a classic of male humiliation. Trying to get over the loss he heads to Hawaii on holiday only to find that Bell is also there on vacation with her new sleazy rocker boyfriend, played by Russell Brand.

How on earth can he forget her when he can't help bumping into her at every turn? As a comedy of humiliation Forgetting Sarah Marshall works very well, not least because of the accuracy of the script, which Segel apparently based partly on personal circumstances.

The casting is also spot on. All three leads are very good including, perhaps surprisingly, Brand. And there are plenty of members of Apatow's rep company – Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill to name but two – rounding out the minor roles with aplomb.

Typically, Apatow also manages to avoid the clichés inherent in the material and come up with a film on a familiar subject that manages to be funny and fresh.