When it comes to controversial filmmaking, director/writer Kevin Smith (“Clerks II”) is no virgin. Whether his characters are satirizing the Catholic Church or attempting to obtain a donkey for sexual purposes, Smith is guaranteed to rub some audience members the wrong way — and his newest movie is no exception. Nonetheless, underneath its filthy exterior, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” features a heartwarming, original screenplay that succeeds even though the film’s raunchy humor misses its mark at times.

Zack (Seth Rogen, “Pineapple Express”) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks, “W.”) are two lifelong platonic friends who trudge through life without accomplishing much of anything. This all changes, though, after a dreadful high school reunion and heaping stack of unpaid apartment debts spark the idea to make an amateur porno film to earn some extra cash. Once the camera starts rolling, however, problems arise as Zack and Miri begin to realize that after all these years, their feelings for each other may be stronger than they thought.

The title alone makes it pretty apparent this movie contains an ample amount of graphic nudity. After all, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” is about, well, making a porno. That said, Smith does not pass up any opportunity to saturate the film with sexual content and, in fact, had to appeal to the MPAA for an “R” rating after the board originally gave the movie an NC-17 rating. Therefore, it is not too shocking that the film exposes audiences to full frontal male and female nudity courtesy of Jason Mewes (“Clerks II”), better known as Smith’s onscreen partner in crime, Jay, and the surprisingly humorous Katie Morgan, who just so happens to be a real-life porn star.

A lot of credit goes to Smith for taking a page from “Knocked Up” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin” director Judd Apatow’s book on how to make a raunchy comedy tasteful and enjoyable. Although there are a few scenes when the film’s explicit content was unwarranted — one specific touching moment near the end of the movie loses all meaning when a fully naked Mewes enters and vividly defines a “Dutch rudder” — Smith manages, for the most part, not to be vulgar to the point of taking away from the film’s creative storyline.

While this film does include a good number of side-splittingly hilarious moments, it cannot keep a steady stream of laughs due to a steady onslaught of penis and vagina humor that grows tiresome after awhile, especially when it is the basically the same joke just with varying sexual terminology. It is unfortunate that Smith, who has been known to be quite witty in his films, is unable to muster up a script that incorporates more than just cheap, smutty humor.

Yet, even with these comedic pitfalls, both the film’s stars and supporting cast do an incredible job of making do with what they are given on the way to giving standout performances that significantly aid in pulling this film together.

Although Rogen’s performance as a crass slacker strikingly resembles his portrayals in past films, he is well-suited for the role and brings just the right balance of humor and restrained emotion to the character. Likewise, having portrayed the first lady and now a crude, but mostly sweet girl next door, Banks has shown incredible versatility as an actress this year. Not only does she display some impressive comedic chops in this film, but her heartrending performance as a friend looking for something more allows for the romantic aspects of the film to become a reality.

But it is the supporting cast that really gives this film the extra kick it needs. Craig Robinson (“The Office”) shines on the big screen as every soft-spoken line coming out of his mouth is pure gold. Justin Long (“Strange Wilderness”) is also fantastic with his over-the-top yet hilarious portrayal of a husky-voiced gay porn star.

All in all, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” does not quite match up with some of the great raunchy comedies of late, but it is an enjoyable experience nonetheless. Smith’s ability to find room in this ingenious screenplay among all the sexual innuendos and nudity for an endearing — albeit awkward — love story and the film’s all-around gifted cast almost make up for the sporadic humor, which much like an actual porno, is only watchable for a few minutes at a time.

3 stars out of 5