Four out of
Five stars
Running time:
105 mins
Superbly written, brilliantly acted and genuinely hilarious throughout, this is a terrific comedy that's also surprisingly moving.
What's it all about?
Paul Rudd stars as Peter Klaven, a real estate agent who's just got engaged to his girlfriend Zooey (Rashida Jones). When he overhears Zooey telling her friends that she thinks it's weird that he doesn't have any close male buddies, Peter decides to go on a series of man dates so that he'll have a best friend who can be best man at his wedding.
However, after a series of dating disasters, Peter finally strikes gold when he meets laid back Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) at a viewing of former Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno's house. The two quickly develop the kind of bond Peter had been hoping for, but will his new-found friendship put a strain on his relationship with Zooey?
The Good
As the title suggests, I Love You, Man is the latest entry in Hollywood's new favourite genre, the bro-mance (or bromcom) – see also: Pineapple Express, Role Models, etc. The script is genuinely hilarious throughout, mixing terrific sight gags (including the funniest onscreen vomit moment since Monty Python's Mister Creosote), witty one-liners (e.g. Sydney whispering “Don't make him angry” when Peter's on the phone with Ferrigno) and some inspired improvisational comedy, such as Peter's constant failed attempts to speak in a sort of blokey slang (“Totally...totes magoats...”).
Paul Rudd's always been one of Hollywood's funniest and most likeable male actors and he's on great form here. He also has great chemistry with Jason Segel, who, in turn, is clearly much more comfortable as the outrageous comic relief than he was as the lead in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
The Great
The film also boasts a wonderful supporting cast that includes Thomas Lennon (as a date who misinterprets Peter's signals), JK Simmons (as Peter's father), Jaime Pressly (as Zooey's best friend), Jon Favreau as Pressly's boorish husband and Lou Ferrigno as himself.
Worth seeing?
I Love You, Man is a sharply written, brilliantly acted and emotionally engaging film that is easily the funniest comedy of the year so far. Highly recommended.