Slow Learners

I've watched this movie several times in the past few weeks. I think a lot of people try to take this movie more seriously than they should. Being a person in her mid twenties as well, I found this to be very lighthearted and up-lifting. A sort of reminder of the weird, awkward situations we find ourselves in throughout our lives. But this movie makes it very amusing. I think you have to have a particular type of humor to appreciate this movie for what it is: a parody on addressing change in your life in response to some shitty situations.

The way the characters transform over their summer break is really drastic. Usually when we change as people, we tend to overcompensate and fall back somewhere in the middle, which is where this leads. Two, early thirties people decide to explore a part of themselves they've never had a chance to. Whether they were pursuing careers or building other relationships. The way they go about it is raw and sort of awkwardly wild - which I appreciated it. We've met people in those stages in their lives before. And I'm sure at some point, we will or have done it.

Lastly, the sources of their inspiration are very amusing. In addition, the quotes and jokes in this movie are a riot. All of the dialogue is something we've either thought of on a date, or have feared happening. So, go into this movie lighthearted and ready for a good laugh.

Watch the first half of this movie and you, with any luck, will think it's seriously underrated. It's a witty script and there are some laugh out loud moments - ok, so I'd had a beer, but there are some great lines and situations.

However, the conceit for the transition into the middle part of the story is not really believable which renders the rest of the movie less believable. It's to do with character transformation although, I guess, if you accept 'arsehole' as an inevitable male transform it may work for you.

But once that's resolved, the movie ends as you'd totally expect it to end right from the first few frames so no real surprises. The joy is in the journey but, sadly, it loses the path of cleverness oit lays in the first half.

Sadly, a widely missed opportunity although I'd recommend it for the first half alone.

The film starts off amiably enough, setting up its two lead characters to be mostly likable in an awkward, gangly, vulnerable way. The story hinges on the efforts by the two leads to change their lives and themselves. In the process of trying, the characters (especially the girl) become so unpleasant that they squander all the viewer sympathy built up earlier. In movies like this, you know how the two characters are going to wind up; you watch it just to see how they eventually get there. But by the time these two get there, you really don't feel like they deserve a happy ending. The outtakes in the closing credits are funnier than the last two-thirds of the film.

Having been a big fan of Adam Pally from his TV work, I perhaps was hoping too much for a big screen Happy Endings. This movie is far from that. Though it has its funny moments, especially the opening sequence, and certainly Pally is frequently adorable and even heart breaking, the writing and direction here are so disjointed that i felt like it was three different movies patched together into one. The only time the movie, and Pally, really came to life was in the scenes with Pally's character and his parents. Those rang true, were funny and heart warming. And there was real chemistry among those characters. There was no chemistry between Pally and the object of his affection here, played by Sarah Burns. Her over the top performance and annoying facial tics did nothing to make me like this character or want the leads to end up together. The writing and directing are probably more to blame than Ms. Burns (they gave Mr. Pally a few facial tics of his own that were equally annoying). In the end, everything rings false and you know where it's going from start to finish.

Honestly, anyone that is deemed a nerd has wondered what would happen if they just let go and be "normal". Most of the time we know how the story goes and what the ending will be, but it's the journey from point a to point b that really sticks with you. These characters are funny, predictable, awkward and goofy, but always genuine. I think that's what resonates with me, the characters reminded me of myself and situations where I've felt like an outsider only to want to grasp on to some popular ideal to eventually come to my senses. I love this movie for exactly what it was, romantic comedy. It did it's job, made me laugh and gave me butterflies. Good job!

By the way, Sarah Burns in the parking lot scene, brilliant!