Comedy-meister Judd Apatow - the driving force behind The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up - once observed that "eventually, the nerds and the geeks will have their day."

And here it is.

Forget overblown high school romps such as American Pie - this is a hugely entertaining tale of a couple of outsiders that has the courage to engage with real emotions.

Jonah Hill plays Seth, a foul-mouthed lardbucket with a pornography obsession and continent-sized cavity where his self-esteem should be.

His buddy Evan (Cera) - on whom he is ridiculously dependent - is smart but not so much uptight as absolutely terrified of the possibilities life may throw at him.

As college life beckons - and the inevitable parting of the ways - they have one more night to conquer their fears and, not to put too fine a point on it, get laid.

It's a well-worn premise but writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have drawn on their own high school experiences to polish a script that sings with authenticity.

The laughs - particularly those featuring newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse's surreal sortie with a couple of slacker cops - come fast and furious.

However, it's the sweet-natured treatment of adolescent fears and the fragile nature of first friendships that elevate this beyond your usual high school run-out.

Yes, the humour can be crude - Seth brings a whole new meaning to the phrase dirty dancing - but it's tempered by an honesty wholly missing from the likes of Adam Sandler's vulgar smug-fests.

As teenage comedies go, it's in a class of its own.

Supergood.
 

Tim Evans