Forgetting Sarah Marshall presents an island resort rom-com. In the stunning backdrop of Hawaii, protagonist Peter Bretter tries to move past his longstanding relationship with TV star Sarah Marshall. Several quirky conflicts result as new romances grow on the unexpected shared vacation.
Fans remember the movie's interesting personalities like Aldous Snow and Rachel Jansen. However, the characters present different levels of intelligence. Audiences see which personalities are sharper than others thanks to the actions they take when faced with conflict throughout the story. Some are revealed as smarter than they appear.
Matthew Van Der Wyk
Jonah Hill plays Matthew. He is a waiter at the Turtle Bay Resort, the setting for most of the film. He is presented most frequently in dinner scenes and moments when he tries to talk to Aldous Snow, his rockstar hero staying at the hotel.
Matthew doesn't showcase many intelligent moments. He continually tries to rub elbows with Aldous Snow. He shows no self-awareness. He lacks the critical thinking to see Aldous doesn't want to talk to him or listen to his demo CD. When Aldous rejects him, he shows his lack of emotional intelligence when he gets angry and mocks him.
Chuck / Kunu
Chuck is played by Paul Rudd in what some fans call one of his best movie roles. He is a goofy surfing instructor. He is presented as an airhead and often lacks attention to detail as to what's going on around him. When Aldous gets into a surfing accident, Peter has to yell at him for Chuck to realize the gravity of the situation.
Chuck doesn't keep track of time, not knowing how long he's been in Hawaii or his exact age. However, he does show a few moments of strange wisdom when Peter asks him about his life. Furthermore, he is smart enough to know the ins and outs of surfing and teach others. But for the most part, Chuck is presented as foolish.
Liz Bretter
Liz, played by Liz Cackowski, is the wife of Peter's stepbrother, Brian. She is one of the less developed characters in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She is presented most often in video chat conversations between Peter and Brian when Peter is on vacation in Hawaii.
Liz shows some smarts in her sneakiness. She hides when Peter and Brian have conversations, eavsdropping until she is found out. However, she shows her lack of wits in their video chats when Peter pulls pranks on her, and she is oblivious.
Aldous Snow
Russell Brand plays Aldous Snow. He is the rock star who dates Sarah Marshall after Peter. He is a memorable character and has several funny moments. However, he is often presented as foolish. He lacks self-awareness in his conversations with Peter.
He seems unphased in meeting Peter, despite knowing how uncomfortable it makes both Peter and Sarah feel. Furthermore, he speaks about his desire to be with other people in front of Sarah when she and Aldous have dinner with Peter and Rachel. Sarah expresses her concern, but Aldous lacks the reasoning to keep his thoughts to himself.
Sarah Marshall
Kristen Bell gives audiences one of her most iconic roles in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She plays Sarah, the TV star who breaks up with Peter and begins dating rock star Aldous Snow. She is presented most often in flashbacks of her and Peter's relationship and their interactions at the Turtle Bay Resort.
Sarah shows her critical thinking when she and Peter talk about their breakup. She speaks eloquently and gives evidence as to why she was unhappy, talking about trying to get Peter off the "island [he] loved so much: the couch." She shows a lack of self-awareness when she insists she and Aldous get dinner with Peter and Rachel.
Peter Bretter
Peter is played by Jason Segel. He is the protagonist in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He shows his lack of emotional intelligence multiple times. He flies off the handle when Sarah breaks up with him, and again when they discuss their breakup in Hawaii.
However, Peter also shows critical thinking. He comes up with the idea of stealing the nude photo of Rachel for her to win her affection back. His intelligence is underscored most clearly in his Dracula musical. He writes, organizes, and performs an original musical which requires a high level of intellect and attention to detail.
Rachel Jansen
Mila Kunis plays Rachel in one of her highest-rated movie roles. She is a receptionist at the Turtle Bay resort and Peter's love interest following his breakup with Sarah. She occasionally shows a lack of emotional intelligence like when she erupts in a rage upon running into her ex-boyfriend.
However, Rachel is smart. She shows her quick thinking when she tells Peter to unbutton his shirt when he sees Sarah in Hawaii for the first time. She shows her intuition when she makes Peter unpack everything that went on between him and Sarah. She can tell that their encounter has more weight than Peter is letting on, and makes him tell her.
Brian Bretter
Brian, played by Bill Hader, is Peter's stepbrother. He is one of the lesser developed characters in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. However, his sharp wits are put on display in his moments in the movie. He shows critical thinking when he deletes Peter's pictures of Sarah, showing foresight that he will obsess over them.
Brian perpetually gives Peter advice when he visits Hawaii. He tells Peter to go back to his room when he runs into Sarah and Aldous. He shows critical thinking in trying to protect Peter. Some audiences might say he is the voice of reason in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.