Movie Review - 'I Love You, Man'

I Love You, Man Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones Directed by John Hamburg Rated R

Although he has been good in comedies since Clueless, and perhaps more memorably of late thanks to supporting work in Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Knocked Up, Paul Rudd has proven in the past six months that he should be a comedic lead for a very long time. First it was Role Models, the hit he co-wrote and starred in opposite Seann William Scott. Now, it's the even better I Love You, Man. Outside of their wardrobes, Rudd is nothing like his Role Models character here. His Peter Klaven is sweet to a fault, respectful, shy, and incredibly awkward. One particular foible that never gets old is Peter's improvised attempts at sounding cool and laid back. He has a way with words in much the same manner that Robert Blake has a way with the ladies. And it's endless fun to watch. Peter has just proposed to Zooey (Rashida Jones) and everything couldn't be more perfect, except that he has no best man to stand up for him at the wedding because he has exactly zero guy friends. Then out of the clear blue, he meets Sydney (Jason Segel from Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and despite being an R-rated Odd Couple, they hit it off over fish tacos and Rush songs. I Love You, Man has been jokingly but accurately described as a bro-mantic comedy, although the vast majority of typical romantic comedies never approach the authenticity in these characters, even while spinning an unlikely story of a guy who attempts to find a friend by going on man dates. These characters talk to each other rather than simply reciting movie dialogue. What's the difference? Watch and see. There are no surprises in the story, and when that's the case, a movie - particularly a comedy - will succeed or fail on the strength of its characters. And for a comedy, I Love You, Man is bursting with good, believable performances at every turn. Even the minor characters have depth to them, and all of them support the story in some way rather than going for their own laughs that sidetrack us. Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, Thomas Lennon, and the irascible J.K. Simmons all get big laughs, but never at the expense of Peter Klaven's story. Writer-director John Hamburg (Meet the Parents and Along Came Polly) has created a movie with nearly as much resonance as it has laughs, and then he hands it over to Paul Rudd, who does what great actors should: He makes a complicated character seem effortless.

Comments

[D. M. Maggio]

I got good news and bad. The good is I got a movie for you to see that will leave you laughing your ever lovin' socks off. The bad news is, you will have to see it without me- I just got back from it and can tell you first hand-ITS WORTH IT!!

"I Love You, Man" is a satire about the 30-something man living in today's
world. No, it's more than that...

This flick is a characterization of all we hold dear: male friendships, trust,
masturbation, weed (by the way, see it hi!), straight guys getting with gay guys, gay guys seeking out straight guys, gay guys acting straight, a man's relationship with his dad, coming out at home, men getting in touch with their feminine side, women knowing married men stray- with other men! and so on...

It is right on with the times and exploits one of our societies complexities
(male relationships) juxtaposed against a Post-Will & Grace/ Gay Marriage,
hoorah! generation. And it's right on!

Go see it (hi!) and tell me what you think. I mean it bitches!
COME BACK AND WRITE SOME SHIT!