If you were a teen in the late 2000s, Superbad was the movie. Crude, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt, it gave us McLovin, one of the most iconic fake IDs in cinematic history. I AM MCLOVIN by Andrew Buss dives deep into how this comedy gem came to life, and honestly? It’s a must-read for anyone who still quotes “I am McLovin” unironically.

This book is packed with behind-the-scenes stories, from casting struggles to how Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg turned their high school antics into a screenplay that would define a generation. The interviews? Chef’s kiss. We get firsthand accounts from Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Emma Stone, and yes—Christopher Mintz-Plasse himself.

Now, I’ll admit, some sections dragged a little (do we need every single production detail?), but the nostalgia factor kept me hooked. Buss captures the magic of Superbad—the awkwardness, the absurdity, and the fact that, somehow, a movie about two guys trying to buy booze for a party became a coming-of-age classic.

If you grew up loving Superbad, this book will hit just right. And if you didn’t? Well…prepare to be McLovin-ed.

Forrest Gump. The Shawshank Redemption. Superbad.

If you ask me my favourite all time movies this is my answer every single time. My top three movies for years and years running.

When I came across I am McLovin on NetGalley I knew I had to read it right away. A book about the making of the film Superbad? Yes please.

I Am McLovin is an essential read for not only fans of the movie, but fans of the actors as well. Andrew Buss provides the lucky break and backstory of all of our key players in the movie. After reading about the audition process the first thing I did was find the videos on YouTube. It almost felt like I was following along with the casting decisions. My favourite part of the book was all of the little fun facts included that I didn’t know about before.

I enjoyed the lead up to how long it took Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to make the movie (10 years). Although I learned a lot I feel like the information did stray from what the intended audience is maybe expecting. I liked the focus on Apatow and his relationship with Rogen but I didn’t necessarily expect to go back all the way to the “beginning” with Freaks and Geeks and Roger’s stand up while he was a young teen.

I think fans of the R rated comedies of the early 2000s will enjoy this one. It not only spotlights the return of the R rated high school comedy but also dives deep into the movies that paved the way for Superbad.

Thank you to @rowmanandlittlefield and @netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I am McLovin is out now!

4⭐️

I loved Superbad when the movie came out, so I was excited about this book. However, I didn't learn anything new and wish it had more interviews with members of the cast instead of just telling the story from an outsiders perspective.

I think the market is saturated with histories of shows and movies and not every single pop culture moment needs is own book.

Superbad is one of my favourite films, so when I saw a book all about how it came to be, I knew that I had to read it. I love reading about the film industry and behind the scenes, so going it I knew I would enjoy it. However, this book exceeded my expectations. It was written so well and had so much information about the film and everyone involved in the process of making it a reality. The forward was interesting too as Mottola wrote and directed another of my favourite films (adventureland).

I thoroughly enjoyed it and think that even if you haven't seen Superbad, you could take away a lot from this book. I will definitely be looking for more film related non fiction.

I went into "I Am McLovin" expecting a fun, behind-the-scenes look at the making of Superbad, filled with amusing on-set anecdotes. While those elements are certainly present, I was pleasantly surprised by the book's depth.

Buss conducted extensive research, delving into the intricate process of bringing Superbad to life. From the casting struggles and creative clashes to the technical challenges and studio interference, the book offers a fascinating glimpse into the realities of filmmaking.

The stories are entertaining, and the insights into the filmmaking processare both enlightening and captivating. It's clear that Buss invested significant time and effort into researching this book, and it shows!

***Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this upcoming book***
I was so pumped to find this book on NetGalley, as Superbad is one of my all-time favorite movies and one that I still quote on an almost daily basis. This book rules! It covers the entire process of this movie’s history, from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg coming up with the idea while they were teens to its staying power in the current day. It is well written and packed with hilarious stories and quite possibly everything there is to know about this legendary comedy.

I can’t recommend this book enough to all fans of the movie and anyone interested in movie production generally. Give it a read!!

These pop culture deep dives into millennial national treasures are really spoiling me. I cannot get enough of them.

I was unaware of the original Vanity Fair piece so I enjoyed this quite a bit. Being nitpicky, the oral history format for this book would have been more fun and more personal, but the information was still presented very well and was engaging. Being as how Superbad is seen as the movie of a generation while also being timeless, it will be interesting in the future to see how it all holds up. So it's cool to have a record of those moments in the present.

The book was basic, but that's not a negative. It includes how it got made, amusing behind-the-scenes movie magic facts, and discourse on how certain scenes would or wouldn't be accepted in today's climate (the latter of which always comes across as a little eyeroll-y to me, but its inclusion is understandable.)

Thank you to NG and the publisher!

Very fun, quick read about "Superbad." It's amazing from the time Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg started writing this movie IN HIGH SCHOOL through the ten years it took to get made, they never doubted that if this movie ever did come out, it would be a hit. You empathize with their frustration that it took so long for the studios to finally see what they saw.

This book covers the writing, the battle to get made, the casting, filming, release and even the legacy now that we're almost 20 years down the road. If you are a fan of the movie, you will certainly love the story of how it all magically came together. Great memories from the various people involved.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-galley of the book in return for this review.

This was such a fun read for someone who was actually in high school when Superbad came out. It truly was such a defining moment in my friends & I's youth. While this book was a fun, quick read it's also full of a lot of things I kinda already knew so it didn't feel fresh or like I was getting in on some inside secrets. I was hoping, before opening it, that it would be an oral history but alas, dreams were dodged. I think it may have been a bit more successful in its aim if it was but regardless I still really enjoyed it!

This was a fantastic look back at Superbad and enjoyed getting to learn about the history of this. Andrew Buss wrote this perfectly and was able to create a great history and enjoyed the overall package.