Ted is the laugh-out-loud comic hit from Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane. It tells the heart-warming and hilarious story of the special relationship between a boy and his teddy bear- in their thirties.

The tale starts at Christmastime in 1985, where lonely child John Bennett wishes for his teddy bear to come to life and boy, does he come to life. The bear, Ted, becomes a celebrity for a brief while which attracts some unwanted attention from a stalker in his adult life.

In the present day, the grown-up John (Mark Walberg) and Ted (voiced and motion captured by Seth McFarlane) still live together and enjoy an immature, hedonistic lifestyle.

John is trying to hold down a menial job at a car rental place and a relationship with the beautiful and level-head Lori (Mila Kunis) but Ted’s constant debauchery is slowly destroying John’s other relationships.

Intending to prove to Lori that Ted can be a constructive part of their lives John finds the bear a job, a flat and a girlfriend but the romance V bromance story arch is brought to a head after a particularly wild party where Lori issues an ultimatum; it’s me or the bear.

However, after attempting to reunite the couple, Ted is bear-napped by his stalker. This leads Lori and John on a wild car chase to rescue their friend ending in a nail-biting finale at Fenway Park, home to baseball team, the Boston Red Sox. Will the trio be reunited? Will Ted survive his ordeal? You’ll have to watch and see.

McFarlane’s directorial debut features his cartoon’s infamous dark humour that makes us unsure whether to chuckle or be offended. Remember that McFarlane typically has an equal-opportunities approach to mocking religion, race and disability so this is not for the faint-of-heart or your typical grandmother.

With many leading roles going to Family Guy actors and featuring cameos from Ryan Reynolds, singer Norah Jones and Flash Gordon star Sam Jones, this is certainly an all-star cast.

Ted is at cinemas nationwide, now. Certificate 15.

ENDS

Words: 344

Writer: Emma Murphy