Running time: 104 minutes
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J. K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau
Rating 6 out of 10
Man-date: to authorize or decree (a particular action), as by the enactment of law. The word has a somewhat different meaning in the "bromantic" comedy I Love You, Man. In this instance it refers to what Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) goes on several times in his quest to find someone to be his Best Man at his upcoming wedding to Zooey (Rasida Jones).
It's actually a refreshingly original premise. For men, finding genuine new friends later in life can be an issue, particularly in the case of someone like Peter, a self-described "girlfriends man," who neglects his own friends whenever he's involved in a relationship. It's a basis ripe with comedic opportunities and while I Love You, Man solicits a healthy quota of smiles, mostly courtesy of Jason Segel as the carefree bohemian Sydney Fife, it's more inclined to being sweet than hysterical. To its credit, it tends to keep things within the realms of plausibility, only occasionally indulging itself by drifting into absurdity.
It's quickly evident why Klaven doesn't posses many close male friends. He's really annoying. A spineless, cloying wimp with a desperate desire to be liked, he's constantly uttering stupid, meaningless phrases like "Totes magotes." Even with a resume that includes the hysterical Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year Old Virgin, I confess I've yet to find Mr Rudd funny. It's hard for me to determine whether my dislike of his character here is because it's a genuinely annoying character, which he plays really well, or simply the fact I just find Rudd irritating.
The film opens with real estate agent Klaven proposing to Zooey. When she says yes, she instantly calls everyone she knows including her two closest girlfriends Denise (Jaime Pressly) and Hailey (Sarah Burns). When she eventually hands Peter the phone and suggests he call all his buddies, he suddenly realizes he doesn't have any. Seeing that Zooey is concerned by his lack of friends, he sets about finding some. This leads to a series of disastrous "man-dates" before he inadvertently bumps into the large, bumbling Sydney. A fun-loving, sociable womanizer who targets divorcees because they don't want a commitment, just sex. Sydney is brutally honest about everything and, unlike Peter, very open with his feelings and emotions. The two mismatched men hit it off, bound by a shared passion for the music of Rush.
Although I Love You, Man maintains a sub-plot revolving around Peter and Zooey's wedding, it's more about male bonding, with its trials and tribulations. Having collaborated previously on several projects, Segel is the perfect foil for Rudd, with the two forming a natural and comfortable partnership. The only puzzling thing is why Sydney would ever want to hang out with Peter.
Kevin Murphy
It's actually a refreshingly original premise. For men, finding genuine new friends later in life can be an issue, particularly in the case of someone like Peter, a self-described "girlfriends man," who neglects his own friends whenever he's involved in a relationship. It's a basis ripe with comedic opportunities and while I Love You, Man solicits a healthy quota of smiles, mostly courtesy of Jason Segel as the carefree bohemian Sydney Fife, it's more inclined to being sweet than hysterical. To its credit, it tends to keep things within the realms of plausibility, only occasionally indulging itself by drifting into absurdity.
It's quickly evident why Klaven doesn't posses many close male friends. He's really annoying. A spineless, cloying wimp with a desperate desire to be liked, he's constantly uttering stupid, meaningless phrases like "Totes magotes." Even with a resume that includes the hysterical Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year Old Virgin, I confess I've yet to find Mr Rudd funny. It's hard for me to determine whether my dislike of his character here is because it's a genuinely annoying character, which he plays really well, or simply the fact I just find Rudd irritating.
The film opens with real estate agent Klaven proposing to Zooey. When she says yes, she instantly calls everyone she knows including her two closest girlfriends Denise (Jaime Pressly) and Hailey (Sarah Burns). When she eventually hands Peter the phone and suggests he call all his buddies, he suddenly realizes he doesn't have any. Seeing that Zooey is concerned by his lack of friends, he sets about finding some. This leads to a series of disastrous "man-dates" before he inadvertently bumps into the large, bumbling Sydney. A fun-loving, sociable womanizer who targets divorcees because they don't want a commitment, just sex. Sydney is brutally honest about everything and, unlike Peter, very open with his feelings and emotions. The two mismatched men hit it off, bound by a shared passion for the music of Rush.
Although I Love You, Man maintains a sub-plot revolving around Peter and Zooey's wedding, it's more about male bonding, with its trials and tribulations. Having collaborated previously on several projects, Segel is the perfect foil for Rudd, with the two forming a natural and comfortable partnership. The only puzzling thing is why Sydney would ever want to hang out with Peter.
Kevin Murphy
