Writer: Bernard Lee

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Watch this if you liked: "The Hangover" and "I Love You Man"

When you hear Seth MacFarlane, you hear Peter and Stewie Griffin and you know you are in for a raunchy ride filled with offensive jokes and dysfunctional elements. "Ted" for better or worse, takes you on the very same R-rated ride, something MacFarlane is making himself synonymous with in Hollywood.

"Ted" kick-starts with a lonely little boy named John, that wishes for an eternal friend one Christmas night, that startlingly turns his new stuffed teddy; Ted, alive. The unusual yet miraculous event brings Ted to stardom and fame through the Carson show, but the hype eventually dies down with time, and "Ted" soon becomes an obnoxious has-been.

John (Mark Wahlberg) and Ted were living the life in their adolescence, spending their days drinking, smoking and watching the 80's "Flash Gordon". Like all bromance however, the romance soon tends to get in the way and this is where John's girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) comes in the picture. Hot and sexy Lori does not so much dislike Ted, she just wants John to have his priorities right so that they can start a life together, one that does not include Ted being in the same bed or bringing hookers back to the house.

Humour and taboo dialogues aside, the movie also portrays a very genuine and honest friendship between John and Ted, a task that is surely a pain to achieve pre-CGI (pre-walking/talking Ted). The man-bear relationship is comparable to the one between E.T. and Elliot, but with only more adult elements, as the crude duo somehow manages to balance the often shocking humour with a dash of tenderness.

Forget Wahlberg or Kunis, Ted himself is a hoot and a half, thanks to the impressive CGI and voice that brings it to life. As you watch the movie, Ted seems to appear more and more organic - and viewers find themselves unquestioningly relating to it as a real being. Ted unlike many teddy bears in movies, is not to sit around and allow himself to be dragged around or cuddled, instead, Ted finds getting high and getting it on with the ladies his purpose in life, while also managing to stay cute through the occasional puppy-eyed look. It is Ted's vulgar personality that pulls the movie up a notch compared to the typical guy movie ("The Hangover") or even the occasional romantic comedy ("I Love You Man").

If you are easily offended, this one will be an easy miss for you, but know that you will also be missing the biggest comedy of the year. Overall, MacFarlane has made his movie debut via the crudest soft toy we now know and love, Ted.

Cinema Online, 09 October 2012