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The traditional male rite of passage theme is sharply skewered in this profanely juvenile teen comedy. This generation's version of Revenge of the Nerds, the 2007 feature was written by Canadians Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who began working on the script when they were 13-year-old schoolmates in Vancouver. Hence, the story's lead characters are named Evan - portrayed by Arrested Development's Michael Cera, another Canuck - and Seth, played by the scene-stealing wiseacre Jonah Hill. As the saga opens, the best friends and social outcasts are rounding out their final year of high school and on the verge of leaving for separate colleges. At the seductive behest of classmate Jules (Emma Stone), the pair become convinced that the act of procuring alcohol for her upcoming year-end party will allow one or both of them to experience carnal delight. After trying to buy booze with phony ID, the pair are befriended by a pair of wildly irresponsible cops, played by Rogen and Saturday Night Live's Bill Hader, who were clearly geeks themselves as teenagers. The story thereafter is partly road picture and partly coming-of-age story, but the reason to watch is the mile-a-minute dialogue and the oddly moving friendship between the story's two lovable losers. Misery really does love company.

Saturday, Showcase at 10 p.m.