I Love You, Man

Easily the single most important thing in any comedy is its strike rate when it comes to the jokes. "I Love You, Man" isn't very good from a visual technical perspective (in fact some of the direction is downright heavy-handed and annoying), but the screenplay and cast keep this comedy consistently funny. There are no terrible scenes, almost every joke is at least mildly amusing (at least until the slightly shaky final act of the film), and there's as much smart humor as there is dumb gross-out stuff (not 'intellectual', 'smart'), and Rudd, Segel and in a smaller role Jon Favreau really nail every line. The comic timing makes this movie.

Above all else "I Love You, Man" is a triumph of comedic acting. The screenplay, by director John Hamburg and Larry Levin (perhaps most notable for writing Seinfeld classics "The Limo" and "The Boyfriend"), is often very funny, but on more than one occasion falls completely flat, and also reveals a dependency on catchphrases and repeated jokes which could have killed the movie. If I were reading the screenplay and 'slap da bass' was said for the hundredth time I would just sigh and throw it in the trash. With Paul Rudd's impeccable comic timing and genuinely convincing take on his character (which, like the rest of the characters here, is really not brought to life by the writing all that well), it had me in stitches.

I don't want to take too much credit away from the screenwriters because this is a (very) funny and enjoyable comedy, but I do have to mention that where "I Love You, Man" falls short of the standard for Apatow productions (and although it's hard to believe this is not one) is in the characterizations. It's far from being as raunchy as those, and is not really as frequently over-the-top, so you'd think there would be more space in the writing for good quality characterization, but these characters are all really thin, and with a lesser cast the movie would not have been nearly as much fun. Now, to the screenplay's credit there are a lot of very effective comedy set-pieces, and the movie's consistently funny. I do suspect it's all a cunning plot to bring back Lou Ferrigno jokes, but the cast pull even THAT off (that includes Ferrigno himself).

The entire movie falls apart just a bit when we get to the inevitable wedding scene, but it's not enough to really undo the movie (which almost veers into "*insert crappy lowbrow maudlin sentimentality-laden wedding comedy here*" territory before quickly recovering), and while "I Love You, Man" only provides a few truly uproarious laughs it is a consistently amusing movie which kept me and the audience I was with giggling and laughing throughout, and Hamburg as director gets the comic timing absolutely right, much like Segel and Rudd do. This is probably the best movie in which Rudd has played a lead role, and is definitely better than last year's "Role Models". The difference in the quality and smarts of both movies is evident in that "Role Models" has a lot of KISS jokes and "I Love You, Man" has a lot of Rush jokes (and an appearance from Rush). It's just a smart and funny movie, and while not a classic for several reasons I've already talked about, it is always funny and isn't that really why we go to comedies, to laugh?

Peter (Paul Rudd) is engaged to Zooey (Rashida Jones) and he suddenly realizes he doesn't have any close friends...no one who could be his best man. So, he goes about trying to meet more guys and develop friendships...but mostly very unsuccessfully. However, one new guy he seems to hit it off with is Sydney (Jason Segel)...a strange guy who definitely walks to his own drummer. But because Sydney is such an odd guy and Peter is spending so much time with him, it also causes complications. What type and how do they all get worked out? See the film and find out for yourself.

I really enjoyed this film but can pretty much guarantee many won't...such as my wife. This is because the film is filled with many awkward moments....scenes that make your skin crawl a bit. I actually LIKE that sort of humor...but it's certainly not for everyone.

Kevin Klaven (Paul Rudd) hasn't a friend in the world - or so he realizes when he becomes engaged to Zooey (Rashida Jones) and finds he can't come up with a single male buddy to be in his wedding party. The solution? Go out and make some platonic guy friends, even if it means having to rely on your mommy (Jane Curtin) and your gay younger brother (Andy Samberg) to help you do it. Eventually, after a number of faltering attempts, Kevin alights on Sydney (Jason Segel), a mucho macho bundle of testosterone who, like a latter-day Henry Higgins to Kevin's Eliza Doolittle, instructs the awkward lad on the fine art of "being a man." But as with any good teacher/pupil relationship, each side winds up learning a little something from the other before it's all over.

A straight man far more comfortable in the company of women than of men, Kevin emerges as the ultimate metrosexual figure: fastidious in demeanor, sensitive to the needs of others, and courteous to a fault (he even admits to liking "The Devil Wears Prada" in a moment of unguarded weakness). He doesn't really know how to roughhouse it with the boys, and any efforts he makes in that direction inevitably lead to failure. Until our man Sydney steps into the breach to give him a few badly needed pointers, that is.

Smoothly directed by John Hamburg, "I Love You, Man" is a relaxed, breezy and sharply written male-bonding comedy that - miracle of miracles - doesn't play down to its audience (it may be crude at times, but it's rarely childish). The Hamburg/Larry Levin screenplay does a clever job poking fun at the double entendres inherent in any modern-day bromance, though one wishes certain characters - Kevin's family members, in particular - had been allotted a little more in the way of screen time. That being said, the performances are all first-rate, with Rudd and Segel playing to their respective strengths - Rudd's of the tongue-tied, self-effacing Mr. Nice Guy who needs lessons in "manning up," and Segel's of the refreshingly blunt but socially indelicate Man/Child who clearly needs to do some growing up.

There's additional excellent work from J.K. Simmons, Jamie Pressly, Sarah Burns and Rob Huebel, among others.

It's also a bit of a casting coup to get both Jane Curtin from the first generation of SNL players and Andy Samberg from the current one together in the same film. Finally, some unlikely cameo appearances by Lou Ferrigno and the band Rush, all appearing as themselves, add to the spirit of fun that permeates the film.

Paul Rudd has managed to do a good job of delivering a solid "normal guy" comic lead in comedies that are amusing if not particularly amazing. This is not a criticism though because I do find the films he has been in recently to be perfectly enjoyable, with a consistent comic air and a good handful of laughs spread across a plot that, while not engaging or amazing, is not offensively simple or crass either. This track record is what brought me to I Love You Man because I felt like I knew what to expect from the film and also that I was fairly confident that it would meet my expectations and maybe even be a bit better than I expected. I'm not trying to say that if it was weak that I could enjoy it because I thought it would be weak and was prepared for that, but just that the film needs to deliver what it proposes to do and satisfy on those terms – which given how many poor comedies and blockbusters come out of Hollywood, is not as easy as it sounds.

Fortunately, ILYM does do this and it does it in a way that will please the majority of viewers. The plot is simple and sets up the obvious gags but does also produce a solid "bromance" narrative, which is enjoyable while not saying much more than the basics about the nature of modern men. What helps it a great deal is that it is funny. The tone of it is well maintained and it did keep me in the mood to laugh, which is half the battle. It manages this through the main characters being likable in the most part as well as having plenty of pretty funny asides or episodes based on plot or character, which are again delivered well by a cast containing endless faces that will be familiar to anyone who watches US comedy on even a semi-regular basis.

I'm not sure that Paul Rudd is close to being an all-round leading man type of actor but certainly this type of film (like some of his other recent turns) plays to his strengths. He is comically awkward but yet also keeps the audience with him by being easy to like – helped by the film being light on crude or crass comedy, which can put me off some characters. He works well with TV comedian Segel, who is perhaps a less engaging and likable character but does convince within it and is funny. Beyond the two of them everyone else is pretty much in a supporting role and, as well as having lots of famous faces, they do mostly deliver laughs in "asides". Pressly and Favreau are both very good at this and steal a lot of scenes. I liked The Office's Jones turn as the fiancé as I generally like her delivery. There are many other faces to recognise (such as Simmons, Samberg, Curtin, Chaandrasekhar, Ferrigno, Wilmore) and some of them do provide value even if others only provide a face.

Overall though, ILYM delivers what it sets its stall out to do – which is a gentle and funny comedy that is easy to watch and entertaining even if it is fleeting and not particularly memorable as a film in and of itself. Rudd plays to his strengths and provides the thin plot with a likable and engaging core, while the material is very funny at best and amusing at worst. Not a classic by any means but it has laughs and it has charm.

Peter Klaven is set to marry, but doesn't have a best man, he attempts several man dates, and eventually finds Sydney Fife, a wild ocean of testosterone.

It's an enjoyable movie, and it's funny, but best of all, it is so incredibly easy to relate to. There's almost a stigma attached to finding friends, and it can be really difficult to find male friends. I don't actually have many friends that are guys, I have one, so I hoped for some tips.

Lots of laughs out loud moments, it's a good script, Peter's man dates were really funny. Seeing their bromance blossoming was actually really food,

Paul Rudd does a fine job here, his delivery is excellent, and he is very funny. Jason Segel is the perfect contrast, the pair combine so well.

Very well meaning, enjoyable.

7/10.