Lovesick

Greetings again from the darkness. If you have been looking for proof that there is a difference between "crazy in love" and "crazy and in love", this first feature film from director Luke Matheny (God of Love, Live action short film Oscar winner in 2011) should end your search. It's also a return to the big screen for Matt LeBlanc, who, despite an extremely successful TV career ("Friends", "Episodes"), has never quite clicked with movie goers.

Mr. LeBlanc stars as Charlie Darby, an energetic elementary school principal beloved by his students and liked by everyone … except those with whom he falls in love. In what comes across as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome, Charlie's charms and romantic notions make it easy for him to connect. But once he falls, a psychotic reaction occurs within his brain and he becomes sociopathically jealous and paranoid and worried sick about things that might happen and things he has imagined to have happened. Charlie's love reactions are played for laughs, but there is also a sense of sadness and danger that is left unexplored.

Writer Dean Young ("King of the Hill") goes for the conventional approach despite Charlie's unconventional affliction. The laughs are small rather than guffaws, and LeBlanc's genuine likability makes us pull for him to break free from this socially crippling behavior. Adam Rodriguez ("CSI: Miami") plays Jason, Charlie's very supportive best friend, and the narrator of the story. His character provides what little insight we get into what happens to Charlie. Ali Larter plays Molly, the most recent object of desire for Charlie. Larter and LeBlanc are very good together, but that doesn't ease the awkwardness of Charlie's reactionary ways.

Other supporting work is provided by Chevy Chase, as Charlie's lonely porn-addicted neighbor (a glimpse at Charlie's future?); Kristen Johnston as an ex-girlfriend and counselor trying to help; the always funny Rachael Harris as a vile and disgusting Charlie date; and the wonderful Connie Sawyer as Nana Bebe. If you are unfamiliar with Ms. Sawyer, she recently turned 102 years old and has appeared as Mrs. Sullivan in a couple of "Ray Donovan" episodes, plus most every seminal TV series since the 1960's (except, ironically, "Friends").

Most will find the movie likable … just like its star. It's best if you not expect a story with an edge or any real insight into human nature or relationships. The screwball musical score is enough to remind us that the film is not taking a serious approach to Charlie's psychotic affliction, yet it does remind us that we all go a bit crazy when we fall in love – let's just hope that it's not a Charlie-type crazy.

i just want to remind you that life is short, so if you don't want to be turned out like i, i mean, we did (several people actually), wasting about 1 hour, trying so hard to be enthusiastic, be connecting with this stupid film, that hour been wasted would never get back after survived 68 years on this planet earth. my god, how could this stupid and boring screenplay got the nods from a bunch of rich investors? if you guys are so loaded, it means that you guys must be at least smarter than the usual population (including aforementioned several people), but how possible that you guys would have approved to pay for such stupid script and signed up these actors to make such pathetically boring film? we all cursed when we decided not to watch along, because this film just made us feel as stupid and boring like these roles played by those pathetic actors, and of course, there were lot youngsters playing the school kids, and likewise, they also acted so unnaturally boring. this is one of the most awkward so-called 'romantic comedy' genre films that is simply so embarrassingly rigid, contrived, cardboard-like tasteless boring to the extreme.

Matt Le Blanc stars in this quirky, subdued romantic comedy which is not as clever or funny as it thinks it is. At some point is can be excruciatingly embarrassing.

Matt is Charlie Darby a popular elementary school principal who goes bat nut crazy when he falls in love. Then he is possessed with insane jealousy and paranoia which leads to disastrous results.

Ali Larter is Molly his latest flame but she too is dismayed by his behaviour but can she ease him through his problems? Adam Rodriguez plays the patient and supportive best friend. Chevy Chase pops up as a porn addicted neighbour.

The film is certainly left field and Matt and Ali make nice couple but the insane jealous scenes just does not work as a comedy but it has enough charm to keep you watching.

I found this movie so unique and unexpected! It's not a usual romantic comedy with the boring clichés but a very interesting plot superbly delivered by great acting.

I have not seen LeBlanc performing a character like this so far and it was very refreshing to see him being able to portray else than the goofy, handsome guy. It showed his true acting skills. The writing is very well done, I enjoyed the story and the character's struggle a lot.

I'm very much disappointed to see how low-voted this movie is! Were you people watching the same thing? It's worth way more than a 5, it's at least an 8.

Ok if you have read a few reviews you already know the basic plot. Charlie Darby (Matt LeBlanc) is an elementary school principal with a troubled romantic history. His best friend Jason Kerwick has a perfect family. Charlie decides to only date women he doesn't care about. He meets fellow heartbroken Molly Kingston (Ali Larter) who has a nephew at his school.

I wanted to give this movie at least a 9 for the chemistry and sweetness of this couple falling in love. And for addressing the sensitive issue of addressing love and jealously and people with social connection issues.

Unfortunately this movie tried to play both a dark comedy and a sweet romantic comedy. It is. almost like they were trying to recreate Silver Linings Playbook. But the writer of this story did not know enough about psychology to back up the story.

There is a paper you can read online LOVE AND PSYCHOSIS. WHY DOES LOVE MAKE US CRAZY? http://www.psychoterapiaptp.pl/uploads/PT_2_2015/ENGverProt-KlingerPsychoterapia2_2015.pdf that addresses similar issues that this movie barely addresses.

Had the writer done a little research and read papers like this and perhaps hired a consultant to look over the final script then perhaps this movie would have been compared to well made movies like Silver Linings Playbook. .

A movie like that which addressed the serious issues Love and it's relation to Psychosis could have been something worthy of awards.

Instead what we get is a movie that tries to both jokingly compare love and going crazy... while at the same time trying to address the issues involved without treating the issues with the seriousness they deserve. You do get to see inside someones head who is delusional and you do feel for him. But it is kind of played off as a joke because he is only delusional when he is in a relationship.

But I do have to say that this is an independent film and mentions that jealousy is an issue in the description. And I read IMDB desc before watching the movie

"The story of Charlie Darby, who has everything going for him: a great job, friends, family, the whole package. The one thing Charlie doesn't have is love, because every time he gets close, he goes clinically insane. When he meets the perfect girl, Charlie must overcome his psychosis to claim his chance at true love." .

So I did not find the character "creepy" enough to worry that he was going to snap and kill someone or that he was a stalker. But I can understand why so,e women watching this movie might feel that way.

This all boils down to the writer trying to turn a real mental illness into a slight dark comedy with a regular romantic comedy formula for a script.

What a shame.

The reason Silver Linings Playbook worked was because it wasn't written as a romantic comedy formula. It wasn't a dark comedy. It wasn't written as a comedy at all. It was written as a drama and took love and mental issues very seriously.

Anyway this movie had so much potential had it been handled properly.And because I was able too see and even feel this movie for what it should have been ...I give it a 7 to encourage independent film makers to study what this movie did right and to encourage future film makers to watch this film as an example how to ruin a potentially brilliant independent gem.