I Do... Until I Don't

'I DO...UNTIL I DON'T': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

The new romantic comedy from actress turned writer/director Lake Bell, who also performed both duties on 2011's 'IN A WORLD...'. Bell also costars in the movie, with Ed Helms, Dolly Wells, Mary Steenburgen, Paul Reiser, Amber Heard and Wyatt Cenac. The story revolves around a bitter filmmaker, who's interviewing three couples in hopes of updating society's concept of marriage. The film has received mostly negative reviews from critics. I think it's a sweet, and mostly enjoyable movie.

The story revolves around an egotistical documentarian, named Vivian (Wells), who is hoping to make a hit documentary proving her cynical beliefs on marriage are true. She thinks marriage should only be a seven-year contract, with the option to renew. Vivian finds three different couples, all going through their own different relationship issues, to be her film's subjects. When the relationships turn out to be more positive than the filmmaker was hoping for, she tries to intervene and make things worse for them.

The movie is mildly funny, but most of all it's just uplifting and sweet. I've never had any problems with feel good films, I think they're a necessity for a happy life. This is one of those movies. There's not a lot more to it, but Bell does a decent enough job directing, and the cast is all good as well. I enjoyed watching it.

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This film tells the story of three couples in a small town, who have varying degrees of relationship problems. They are approached by a documentary film maker, and their relationships are drastically changed.

The story is off to a slow start, but it gradually improves. The initial impression is that the film has a lot of static shots, as if the camera is mounted on a tripod. As the film progresses, the camera work improves and moves with the actors. The story gets sympathetic and sweet as the film progresses too. I enjoyed the second half much more than the first half.

"I Do... Until I Don't" (2017 release; 103 min.) brings the story of a British woman doing a documentary about the state of marriage. As the movie opens, Vivian, the British woman, is giving a presentation to a group of people in Vero Beach, FL. Vivian wonders if there is support to making marriage a 7 year deal with a renewal option. Meanwhile we get to know several married couples: there is Alice and Noah, who sell blinds for interior decorating, are low on money and trying to conceive. Vivian's sister Fanny and her husband are "free thinkers" (read: hippies) who supposedly have an open marriage. And then there is Cybil and Harvey, an older couple whose marriage has seen better times. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the second feature length movie (after the excellent "In a World" a few years ago) that is written, produced and directed by Lake Bell (in addition to starring in the lead role, here as Alice). This basic premise is potentially interesting but alas, the movie gets stuck in certain patterns that are utterly predictable and not even interesting. It's a darn shame, as certainly the performers try their best: Ed Helms plays Bell's husband, but the show is for me almost stolen by the delightful Mary Steenburgen (as Cybil), an all too rare sighting of this great actress. Paul Reiser portrays her husband. This movie is billed as a comedy, and while there certainly are some moments that I chuckled, there isn't anything remotely crazy funny in the movie. In fact, the movie is more rom-com than just comedy. In the end, this movie feels like a missed opportunity: so much talent on the screen! I absolutely love Lake Bell, and I really wanted to like this, but in the end I just couldn't.

"I Do... Until I Don't" is now in its second week at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great (7 people, including myself). Given the so-so critical buzz and correlating word-of-mouth, I can't see this playing in theaters very long. This movie really is for Lake Bell fans, and even there, better see this with lowered expectations.

It seems like many of the bad reviews were based on the first half of the film and maybe those folks, expecting a romantic comedy, gave up. It's not the greatest film but much better than the bad reviews. There are some funny parts and some hilarious. In the end it's sweet and that in it self my be a spoiler.

To put it simply I enjoyed the movie. The storyline might not have been intense, meaningful, or compelling but it was enjoyable to watch the couples learn something about themselves that one person in this case, was trying to exploit for their own benefit and celebrity.

Life can be funny at times if you are willing to see the humor in it. Worth the watch if you have the time.