Spring Break
Review: The genre that Apatow built enlists another feel-good hit with 'I Love You, Man'
3 and a half out of 5 stars
Paresh Jha
Issue date: 3/24/09 Section: Focus
Bromance is all the rage these days. Hot on the heels of "Role Models" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Paul Rudd and Jason Segal star in this film about a man without a male best friend.
Sounds odd? It may be, but it also makes for some really great comedy. Paul Rudd plays Peter Klaven, a groom who cannot find a guy to be his best man because he has no male friends. Feeling pathetic and emasculated, he goes off on a search for his true bromance.
Enter Jason Segal as the hilarious Sydney Fife. Sydney is exactly the opposite of the mild mannered Peter, causing for some awesome moments of hilarity. The rest of the story plays out like a typical romantic comedy, except with two men.
The reason the film works so well is because of its two male leads. Segal brings something different to the table from his recent films and sitcom "How I Met Your Mother." He portrays Sydney as unabashed and totally out there. Additionally, Rudd has the awkward role down pat. His character Peter tries so hard to be the "cool guy" yet never really succeeds. You actually kind of feel bad for the poor guy.
In addition to their individual performances, they also have really great chemistry. They work off of each other so well that you have to wonder if there was a script or if they improvised 90 percent of their lines. It certainly is a possibility, given the comedic talents of these Judd Apatow-league actors.
While the film itself gives no credit to Apatow (the producer of the recent successful comedies "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Superbad"), his name might as well be written all over the place. Director John Hamburg does an admirable job of maintaining a lighthearted atmosphere in a film that never attempts to take itself too seriously. Jaime Pressly and J.K. Simmons also turn in memorable supporting performances.
The film only falters in its predictability. It gets a little soft toward the end, but understandably so. You just have to accept that it's not going to be the most inspired comedy you are likely to see. It can be analogized to driving someplace you do not necessarily care for. The end might be the same, but you can still take a couple of detours and enjoy the ride.
Sounds odd? It may be, but it also makes for some really great comedy. Paul Rudd plays Peter Klaven, a groom who cannot find a guy to be his best man because he has no male friends. Feeling pathetic and emasculated, he goes off on a search for his true bromance.
Enter Jason Segal as the hilarious Sydney Fife. Sydney is exactly the opposite of the mild mannered Peter, causing for some awesome moments of hilarity. The rest of the story plays out like a typical romantic comedy, except with two men.
The reason the film works so well is because of its two male leads. Segal brings something different to the table from his recent films and sitcom "How I Met Your Mother." He portrays Sydney as unabashed and totally out there. Additionally, Rudd has the awkward role down pat. His character Peter tries so hard to be the "cool guy" yet never really succeeds. You actually kind of feel bad for the poor guy.
In addition to their individual performances, they also have really great chemistry. They work off of each other so well that you have to wonder if there was a script or if they improvised 90 percent of their lines. It certainly is a possibility, given the comedic talents of these Judd Apatow-league actors.
While the film itself gives no credit to Apatow (the producer of the recent successful comedies "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Superbad"), his name might as well be written all over the place. Director John Hamburg does an admirable job of maintaining a lighthearted atmosphere in a film that never attempts to take itself too seriously. Jaime Pressly and J.K. Simmons also turn in memorable supporting performances.
The film only falters in its predictability. It gets a little soft toward the end, but understandably so. You just have to accept that it's not going to be the most inspired comedy you are likely to see. It can be analogized to driving someplace you do not necessarily care for. The end might be the same, but you can still take a couple of detours and enjoy the ride.
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