I Love You, Man (2009) Reviews

• It's OK, but don't expect too much of it...

  Sonny_Darko2009-09-07

  I did. I saw it because I saw Rudd and Siegel on the lead and thought it was probably an Aptow or similar kind of humor. It tried to be but fell short. Turns out that a Realtor (Rudd) who's about to get married realizes he doesn't have any friends, and goes on a series of man dates to find one, releasing a series of "humorous" events, like getting kissed by a guy, puking on another one, realizing the other one is too old, etc. Anyways, he has a gay brother, which they try to pass off as a comical situation, (because being gay in a Hollywood movie is SO funny, right?) but he doesn't ask him to be his best man, simply because of a small age difference. That honestly would have been the smartest thing to do, but then we would have no movie. Finally he meets the perfect guy (Segel) at an open house, which turns out to be the complete opposite of him, and teaches him a lot about the typical guy life and so on. It's pretty cliché at times and has some of the typical characters in a comedy movie (the dorky lead, man rule follower best friend, the gay relative, the perfect wife, a-hole coworker, etc). Give it a try none the less if you have nothing else to watch, it's an OK movie, (don't fall for the great rating it has on here) I still had fun watching it, but seriously, don't expect too many LOL moments. If you liked Along Came Polly, Heartbreak Kid, (pretty much most of Ben Stillers similar type movies) Then You will probably enjoy this. If Your waiting for the next Old School, 40 Yr Old Virgin, Anchorman, etc, then you might wanna simply stick with The Hangover instead.

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• A Nutshell Review: I Love You, Man

  DICK STEEL2009-06-14

  I Love You, Man is a delightful film not just for its brand of humour which worked almost all the time, nor because it stars the bunch of contemporary jokers who have taken Hollywood by storm, but because it had a meaningful story to tell, and has translated that key insight of friendships and relationships for the big screen effortlessly, wrapping up some deep, intrinsic behavioural observation deceptively behind a curtain of laughter. Like the 40 Year Old Virgin in its quest for a woman to get laid with to pop his cherry, this film works on the reverse in its protagonist's quest for a male friend, since Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) has no problems with female friendship as he's the quintessential ladies man, only that he's about to marry his fiancé Zooey (Rashida Jones). Since the bride has a maid of honour, it's up to Peter to find a balance in a best man, only that he hasn't really had a man friend for the longest time, and so begins a crazy montage of hooking up with casual friends in the hope of striking gold. It might seem like a hypothetical situation, but as the film progressed, it brings to mind how many of us have friends (male or female) that we sometimes take for granted in knowing that they'll always be there for us. Only a reality check brings up the fact that everyone has their own personal lives to lead, and it wouldn't be nice to impose (mid-life crisis singles, hands up here), especially not with an ulterior motive. Some of us too when having a girlfriend, tend to allow male friends to fall on the wayside as we skirt chase, and depending on whether you get someone who provides that much leeway as Zooey, you can kiss goodbye to those male-bonding sessions. Then there's the difference between the premise of a girl's night out, and a guy's, and the dynamics of what happens within the groups. It can be somewhat stereotypical here in the film, but you get the drift as the film lays it all out on the table, with the girls talking about the boy-stuff behind their backs, and the worst bit being that cause for comparison, and the guys, well, talk about what else, sex! There are some lines clearly drawn here in what can, or cannot be discussed, and how much of that you can bring to the table, and how much you can take away from. A secret's a secret, and should stay that way with clear segregation in order to prevent upsetting anyone. Talk about compromises and "truth". If what you're saying is that it reeks of hypocrisy, then yes, sometimes it does, and the married couple played by Jaime Pressly and Jon Favreau (yes, he who directed Iron Man) epitomizes the crankiness of a marriage with its idiosyncrasies, and the hypocrisies that come with presenting a united front, and worse of all, trading favours in both directions. They have some of the best lines and insane moments in the film, and poor Jon has got to suffer two verbal abuses (for you to watch and find out). Many of us who have remembered Jason Segel's comical turn in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and here he cuts his Sydney Fife both ways, one an alpha male type who seems way cool with his frat boy sensibilities, which is actually a facade for a lonely life he leads in his garage where he can be the man he actually is. As the friendship between Peter and Sydney grow from their numerous hanging out sessions, from short drinking sessions to weekend rendezvous just to jam to their favourite tunes, so too does the strain in Peter and Zooey's relationship, because as the saying goes, two's a company, and three's a crowd. This aspect serves as an adversary in the film, though it doesn't come unexpected when it suddenly dawns upon Peter that he can't have two birds in one hand. Being the novice in this aspect of a man-friend relationship here, there are many times Peter trips up, and the experienced us would know that it's perfect danger territory to find yourself in. And who would have thought friendship and relationships could be such a chore, especially when expectations start flying around being that spanner ready to be thrown in the works. As a comedy, this film hit plenty of right spots in eliciting laughter from the audience, with funny lines that do work, and carefully crafted characters in Peter (with his nonsensical one- liner conversation endings, and nicknames), and Sydney being quite multi-dimensional. And what's a film like this about man-friends without that dose of fanboy-dom in it, with the Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno playing himself in a very short supporting role, and many other film references thrown in for good measure too? I Love You, Man is an excellent story on friendship, and what makes friendship tick. For that and its healthy dose of comedy, and a great spin on the tired romantic-comedy genre, it goes without a surprise into my list of contenders for top films of the year.

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• a mainstream comedy that actually works

  Buddy-512010-02-28

  Kevin Klaven (Paul Rudd) hasn't a friend in the world - or so he realizes when he becomes engaged to Zooey (Rashida Jones) and finds he can't come up with a single male buddy to be in his wedding party. The solution? Go out and make some platonic guy friends, even if it means having to rely on your mommy (Jane Curtin) and your gay younger brother (Andy Samberg) to help you do it. Eventually, after a number of faltering attempts, Kevin alights on Sydney (Jason Segel), a mucho macho bundle of testosterone who, like a latter-day Henry Higgins to Kevin's Eliza Doolittle, instructs the awkward lad on the fine art of "being a man." But as with any good teacher/pupil relationship, each side winds up learning a little something from the other before it's all over. A straight man far more comfortable in the company of women than of men, Kevin emerges as the ultimate metrosexual figure: fastidious in demeanor, sensitive to the needs of others, and courteous to a fault (he even admits to liking "The Devil Wears Prada" in a moment of unguarded weakness). He doesn't really know how to roughhouse it with the boys, and any efforts he makes in that direction inevitably lead to failure. Until our man Sydney steps into the breach to give him a few badly needed pointers, that is. Smoothly directed by John Hamburg, "I Love You, Man" is a relaxed, breezy and sharply written male-bonding comedy that - miracle of miracles - doesn't play down to its audience (it may be crude at times, but it's rarely childish). The Hamburg/Larry Levin screenplay does a clever job poking fun at the double entendres inherent in any modern-day bromance, though one wishes certain characters - Kevin's family members, in particular - had been allotted a little more in the way of screen time. That being said, the performances are all first-rate, with Rudd and Segel playing to their respective strengths - Rudd's of the tongue-tied, self-effacing Mr. Nice Guy who needs lessons in "manning up," and Segel's of the refreshingly blunt but socially indelicate Man/Child who clearly needs to do some growing up. There's additional excellent work from J.K. Simmons, Jamie Pressly, Sarah Burns and Rob Huebel, among others. It's also a bit of a casting coup to get both Jane Curtin from the first generation of SNL players and Andy Samberg from the current one together in the same film. Finally, some unlikely cameo appearances by Lou Ferrigno and the band Rush, all appearing as themselves, add to the spirit of fun that permeates the film.

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• I Loved it, Man!

  misterembryo2009-03-21

  Man, I love Paul Rudd. And I'm almost positive that right after you watch his latest feature, you will too. Paul Rudd (Clueless, The Shape of Things, Anchorman, "Friends", 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Role Models) plays Peter Klaven, a semi-successful real estate agent who proposes to his beautiful girlfriend of eight months, Zooey, played by the talented heartmelter Rashida Jones (Karen from "The Office"). Their relationship seems almost picture perfect, their classic love-at-first-sight story, their comfortable HBO TV Nights, and best of all, her girl friends adore him. The only problem is, Peter's guy friends don't care much for Zooey, because well, he doesn't have any. In fact, he's never really had any. Which begs the question: Who the hell will be Peter Klaven's Best Man at his wedding?? A couple of uncomfortable and unpredictable man dates later, enter Sidney (Jason Segel), who shows up at an open house hosted by Peter Klaven. Only he's not there to check out the multi-million dollar estate owned by "The Incredible Hulk" Lou Ferrigno. Sidney's there to scope out the recent divorcées who commonly show up at open houses, and to grab some free sandwiches while he's at it. With Sidney's uncanny understanding of male behavior, his barbaric display of testosterone, his similar taste in Rock & Roll, and his honest and vulgar approach to male bonding (hence the R-Rating), is this really the Best Man Pete's been looking for? Or the Worst Man that could ever happen to not only Pete's pending marriage with Zooey, but also his career, and ultimately his life?? As implied by the sentimental title, this film was building up to be the definitive Bromantic Comedy, and in my opinion, they pulled it off. I Love You, Man is Paul Rudd at his finest. He charmed his way into a clueless Alicia Silverstone, he started a timeless string of homophobic questioning with Seth Rogen, and he helped a self-loathing Jason Segel forget Sarah Marshall with a spaced out surf lesson. Now Paul's back to find a best man, and the chemistry he has with the best man to-be is pure comedy. Thankfully we get a front row seat to all his awkwardness, his flamboyance, his unabashed silliness, and his hopelessness, and all of it is completely hysterical, and completely endearing. (You know how I know you're gay? You think Paul Rudd is endearing.) Alongside Paul is a unique ensemble of characters, including Andy Samberg playing Pete's gay brother, JK Simmons playing the everyman father (not unlike his role as Juno's dear old dad), and a handful of other awesome cameos that create some great moments. Director John Hamburg does a great job of creating an open environment to let them play off of each other, uninhibited and sometimes ridiculous. I Love You, Man is funny, honest, over-the-top yet true-to-life, and yes, I'll say it again, completely endearing.

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• Very likable and sweet, a great date/group movie.

  The_Amazing_Spy_Rises2009-03-24

  Though you won't find the name Judd Apatow on this film at all, he certainly has a hand in it, as his influence is all over the film. However, unlike most of the movies that can certainly be grouped with this one, 'I Love You, Man' is a movie almost anyone can enjoy, even women and kids. It's the lightest, warmest, and the best for buddies of either sex to see. It's a delightful comedy that will make you laugh throughout and brighten your day. Whether it be the great buddy chemistry between the leads, or the simply hysterical supporting cast, I found myself loving this movie. Like director John Hamburg's previous effort, 'Along Came Polly', the movie is incredibly likable because it relies on the awkward humor that Paul Rudd does pretty much perfectly, playing off the happy-go-lucky humor of Jason Segel. Rudd is likable and reliable as usual in a role showcasing the best of his abilities (I really can't say how happy I am that he's finally getting leading roles), and unlike in 'Role Models', he's the undisputed lead here. Segel is a character in Rudd's story, his life, and his journey to find a friend, and essentially, become a complete person before his life changes for the better. Segel is at his best in a role as what appears to be the perfect friend (I would hang out with this guy for days). Rashida Jones is adorable and likable as Rudd's fiancé, and it's a role that most actresses would've over done (Jaime Pressly's performance should remind people of how it could've been over done), and Jones plays it with an ease that makes her likable. The supporting cast is what makes the movie great. It's the foundation of characters played by Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, and Andy Samberg that completes the movie and makes it worth watching (because, let's face it, the movie wouldn't be that great if Rudd and Segel just sat around bro-ing out for 2 hours). Lennon and Truglio are hilarious as candidates for Peter's best man position, and Lennon will bring down the house as Doug, with his classic monologue about how he feels when his advances towards Peter are rejected. Truglio is great in yet another small cameo that stacks up with his previous appearances in 'Pineapple Express' and 'Superbad', as well as the icing on the cake that was 'Role Models' (he's an example of the whole "everyone will like this movie" thing. Jon Favreau is hysterical in his part as a cynical ass that makes you go, "this guy directed 'Iron Man'?". I think the reason most people will like this one is because it'll put a smile on most people's faces. It's a generally happy movie that is a good movie to see in a group to start off a night, and is even a decent date movie. It's got jokes that even kids can like (though most of the film is obviously not appropriate for them...what I'm saying is if they HAVE to see one of these movies, this is the one for them). I really enjoyed this movie, it left a good taste in my mouth, and my friends loved it too.

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