Seeing Other People

"Seeing Other People" is all about DINKs Alice (Nicholson) and Ed (Mohr) who have lived together for years and decide to try other sex partners before tying the knot. This obviously contrived premise yields an abundance of the same old relationship problems we've all seen before a zillion times giving the film the familiarity of old news as opposed to old friends. On the downside, this conversational flick uses a plethora of stereotypical side characters and plenty of not-so-subtle sex talk for filler while Ed and Alice are clumsily making their last ditch effort to get some "strange". On the upside, the writing is sufficiently insightful and fresh to create enough moments of humor and fun to make for a worthwhile small screen watch. With average marks from critics and public, "SOP" will play best with younger adult females. Keep expectations real. (B-)

This is a rather intelligent and sincere film about commitment. Personally I find it to be more romance than comedy, because of its insight in the emotions involved. There are some funny lines, but the exploration of love is more poignant. As the story goes, it becomes more and more obvious that we're not in a screwball comedy about swingers, but in a plea for long-term relationship. The acting is good enough, especially from Julianne Nicholson and Lauren Graham (who are supposed to be sisters, haha). Too good that the cynical sister prevented the danger of situation becoming corny after Alice's final, emotional speech (pause... "We don't do laundry"). But that also underlined the fact that this kind of relationship wasn't for everyone.

Sophisticated sex comedies are always difficult to pull off. Look at the films of Blake Edwards, who is arguably the master of the genre, and you will find just as many misses as hits. For, if a film of this nature ever fails to work, it can never fall back on the tried and true toilet humor of a teen sex comedy [i.e. "American Pie"], or warm the audience with the sentimentality of a romantic comedy [i.e. Julia Roberts' entire career]. It can only maintain a push to the end, and hope that the audience can appreciate the almost required irony of it's resolution.

Written by husband/wife team Wally Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes, "Seeing Other People" opens with engaged couple Ed & Alice [Jay Mohr & Julianne Nicholson] only seconds away from rear-ending the car in front of them. As the frame freezes, we unexpectedly hear the thoughts and fears of both characters. From here on out, we welcome that the story about to unfold will enjoy a point of view from both sexes.

Two months shy of their vows, Ed & Alice already look and act like an old married couple. In an early bathroom scene, their actions alone show us just how comfortable they are with each other and how long they have been together. So when the line to propel the plot forward is uttered - expectedly from the least likely of the two - it is as if the very relationship itself is calling for a change, even if it means it's own destruction.

Once all the ground rules are set [Ed can not sleep with her mother or, for that matter, Salma Hayek], the two head off in their separate directions in the hope of finding some meaningless sex to strengthen their relationship. At first, everything seems to go as planned as their daily trysts only help to fire up the passion between them. But predictably, as the deeper emotions of regret and jealousy begin to emerge, they soon find themselves growing apart and on the verge of breaking up. All of these actions leading to a resolution you may or may not like - depending on your own degree of cynicism.

For a comedy like this, you need a solid cast with supporting characters just as strong as the leads. And director Wolodarsky does not disappoint. Here he has cast two of my favorite actresses as sisters - Julianne Nicholson & Lauren Graham - and allows them to play to their strengths. For Nicholson, who has always reminded me of a young Shirley MacLaine, she brings an air of naivete and vulnerability to Alice even when her actions seems less than so. And as for Graham, an actress who has proven she could outperform an entire Howard Hawks ensemble, she steals every scene she is in with an edgy "no BS" persona.

As for the guys, Jay Mohr is serviceable here as is Josh Charles. "Malcolm in the Middle"'s Byron Cranston has to be applauded for taking on a British accent and letting it all hang out. But the real treat here is Andy Richter and his sub-plot involving single mother, Helen Slater. While his scenes almost seem to belong in another movie, they are by far the funniest and his dead panned delivery steals the show.

For an independent production, "Seeing Other People" has a more personal and introspective feeling - something that would be noticeable absent from a big Hollywood film of this kind. Not to mention that this film also has some genuinely funny moments - unlike, say, most Hollywood comedies in general.

Rating [on a 5 star system] : 3 1/2 stars

All motion pictures i have experienced of the Sundance film festival, were not impressive. This however is an exception. I loved this movie, and i believe it the perfect movie for all couples.

Anyone wanting to watch a movie produced by a film company called "Pariah", would want to think twice- however after seeing the trailer and realising Lauren Graham was in it(being a HUGE Gilmore Girls fan), well it was worth a try. Julianna Nicholsan is perfect - i believe this is her first starring role, Jay Mohr is average BUT Lauren Graham's sarcastic attitude brought to this movie is AMAZING. I wish she could have had a greater on screen time.

This was a good comedy in years. I have found bedroom comedies very pleasing - but this certainly was an exception. The standard of this movie proved that it could have done extremely well commmercially( it did well critically), if released in theaters.

"Seeing Other People" is very similar to the British original series "Coupling" so it's nice to know that American sit com writers can be guffawingly funny about sex and relationships when freed from the networks.

While it's male/female co-written, by Maya Forbes and director Wallace Wolodarsky, the premise feels like a male fantasy gender-switch of wanting both free love and the laundry done, though both guys and gals do end up getting their comeuppance.

Jay Mohr, as a mensch for a change, and Julianne Nicholson, who was captivating in the drama "Tully," considerably humanize the coincidental goings on through their sincerity.

Lauren Graham and Josh Charles enjoy being deliciously nastier sidekicks than their respective "Gilmore Girls" and "Sports Night" personas. Andy Richter does a surprisingly grown-up turn as the most grounded of the group on the sexual merry-go-round.

It may have been shot on video and blown up to 35 mm as the print was a bit fuzzy. The font on the credits was the largest I've ever seen in a film so I could see that the director and Liz Phair had a cameo, though I think we only saw her legs, and that several sit com directors and producers were thanked. The excellent songs and music were not identified, however.