Post by BIGFANBOY on Mar 26, 2009 3:35:41 GMT -5
I LOVE YOU, MAN
Review by Gary Dean Murray
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. There is this large swath of funny that Judd Apatow has created. The comedy giant has been making some of the freshest funny films of the last decade. So it would make sense that others would travel down this well worn path. Such is the copycat film I Love You, Man.
The story of I Love You, Man is of Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd). He's a LA real estate agent who has a slight problem. It seems that all of his best friends over the years have been women. This bothers his future bride Zooey (Rashida Jones). His major male contacts are his gay brother and his father. These two are joined at the hip and self declared best friends. Peter is basically awash in a sea of estrogen. With the wedding date approaching, Peter realizes that he must make a male friend to be his best man. So begins the male bonding ritual of man dates.
After a few, funny unsuccessful attempts to make a friend match, he 'cute mee ts' Sydney Fife (Jason Segel). And thus begins our heterosexual, non-sexual romance. Where Peter seems very metro-sexual, Sydney comes across as a cross between a madman and conman. Peter is enamored with Sydney. The film is of their male bonding with talks of sex, food, sex, drink, sex, classic rock and sex. They also get down on musical instruments, jamming to the music of their favorite band Rush.
As this is going on, Peter runs into complications in selling the house of Lou Ferrigno, the body builder from The Incredible Hulk TV show. One of Peter's co-workers is trying to muscle in on the sale, depriving Peter of the commission. Peter is not a flashy real estate agent, more of a low key approach to moving properties.
As the man bonding becomes more severe, Zooey is feeling a bit left out. This brings even more pressure to Peter. And as it builds to the conclusion, all of the elements become a bit more frantic.
One has to love the simple appeal of Paul Rudd. He tosses off line after line with the skills of a great stand-up comic but in a real world setting. His manner isms are more leading man than manic driven. He is building up a resume of winning performances and this little flick should put him in the old Tom Hanks category.
Jason Segel just steals every scene that he is in. As our ranting crazed man-child, he is more along the lines of someone who lived the Animal House lifestyle for way too long. His commitment phobic life is in direct contrast to Peter, which makes the film work in an Odd Couple way.
The film is stocked to the brim with performers from The Daily Show, Broken Lizard and Reno 911. These comic actors all get a moment or two to land some serious comedic punches, giving the lead actors more room to maneuver their knock-out blows. The entire exercise is a show of comedy force seldom seen on the Silver Screen. One of the best things about I Love You, Man is that Rush is featured in the film. The guys are both fans of this group that has always had a hardcore male following. To see the Canadian trio on stage is almost worth the price of admission alone.
If the film has any flaw, it is in the structure. There are no surprises in the story and it is more of a character study than a fleshed out story. If the makers had worked a little bit more on giving the audience something different and not just quotable lines, it would have be a more compelling exercise.
While not the greatest film ever made, I Love You, Man is a very solid comedy and worth the money. I laughed all the way through, which is more of a rarity in modern Hollywood.
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