Slow Learners

Greetings again from the darkness. One of the staples of Romantic Comedies is that the two key players are the only ones who don't realize they are "right" for each other. This is often accomplished through one of two methods: either two characters who "despise" each other, or as characters who are "just good friends". This little film manages to blend those two approaches … and make us laugh in the process.

The first 15 or 20 minutes of the film are packed with very sharp comedy writing and acting. Adam Pally ("Happy Endings") plays Jeff, and Sarah Burns ("Enlightened") plays Anne. These two misfit adults get along very well together both as co-workers and friends who quote literature at (not to) each other. Anne's opening visit to the doctor (played by Peter Grosz of Sonic ad fame) is outright hilarious, while Adam's book club features some real zingers from Bobby Moynihan, Gil Ozeri, and Reid Scott ("Veep").

It's not until Jeff and Anne make a pact to change their public personas in an effort to be "cool" and more attractive to the opposite sex that the film takes kind of a nasty – well at least unlikable – turn. Becoming alcoholic d-bags does help them experience a summer of wild escapades, but predictably, neither is especially happy. Anne picks up pointers from some trashy reality TV show called "Prisoners of Love" … a knock-off of "The Bachelor" that deals with convicts and the women who would love them.

Adding to the comedic elements are quick scenes with Cecily Strong, Catherine Reitman (daughter of Ivan) and Kate Flannery, along with a couple of sequences with Jeff's parents (Kevin Dunn, Marceline Hugot). More interactions with the parents would have been a welcome respite from the extended d-baggery of Jeff and Anne.

Mr. Pally is a master of the deadpan delivery, while Ms. Burns can best be described as a Kristen Wiig starter kit (that's a compliment). Co-directors Don Argott and Sheena Joyce, and co-writers Matt Serword and Peter Swords lost sight of what delivered such a strong beginning for the film, and instead focused on reminding us to "embrace the darkness" and to "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken". Good lessons indeed, but maybe not the comedy gold mine that was expected.

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!

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.

Casting was wonderful for the mains to the bits. Writing was good to tolerable, but the directors lost the cast. I think based on direction and editing, the directors lost control of the movie making process, and stitched together the wrong part of this movie to create a strong Rom Com. This movie appeared under-funded and wandering like a bad Mel Brooks joke of lost Moses.

These directors failed to stop the car and ask for direction - the cast was stronger than they were and they failed to bring this back with good editing. WHat a waste of a budget, waste of a great cast that could have done more work together, and mostly, what a waste of a fantastic casting director. I've even watched this twice to try to throw the director(s) a bone - they need to stick to documentaries where the story tells the story.

Watch 25 min then go straight to the outtakes - this was embarrassing.

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.