Knocked Up

Conceived as a follow-up to The 40-Year-Old Virgin starring the ensemble that formed Andy’s Greek chorus, Apatow’s second feature introduced new characters but retained his burgeoning stock company. Seth Rogen takes the lead as Ben Stone, perhaps the prototypical Apatow hero—a likeable stoner sharing vague entrepreneurial dreams with his equally shiftless roommates (played by Jonah Hill and Freaks and Geeks veterans Jason Segel and Martin Starr). When a one-night stand with a career woman (Katherine Heigl) results in unplanned pregnancy, Ben must decide if he’s willing and able to accept responsibility. Gleaning many details from the pregnancy of Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann, who appears as Heigl’s sister (with their two daughters playing Mann’s children), Knocked Up was named “an instant classic” by The New York Times.