Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Andy and Rashida 4evr LYLAS HAGS

I had been reading up on this movie since the spring and they didn't decide on a release date till very late in the summer, probably around mid July. Once the date was set it obviously was just for limited release so then I had to wait another couple weeks before it came to a theater near me.

On top of all this anticipation, tremendous accolades were pouring out for Rashida Jones, star and writer. Add in  the fact that I, and everyone else, would get a chance to see Andy Samberg in a semi-serious role, hot off the heels of his SNL retirement and That's My Boy, a movie which led many entertainment buffs to question whether Andy would be doomed to mediocre fart joke movies the rest of his career, and this movie was a perfect storm of indie awesomness.

Senior Superlatives: Cutest Hipster Couple


The plot of the movie is basically a visual version of Billy Joel's Scenes from an Italian Restaurant. Basically Brenda and Eddie/Celeste and Jesse grow up as best friends throughout school and decided the marriage would be at the end of July. They started to fight when Jesse didn't want to grow up and be the man Celeste wanted as a husband and father. They got a legal separation and parted the closest of friends, still kissing goodbye and saying they love each other. Stuff makes their weird relationship get even more complicated, and without ruining it, the rest of the movie happens and then it ends.

Overall it was very good and endearing. If it hadn't been for Rashida and Andy starring, I don't think I would have liked it as much as I did, but luckily they are the stars so hazzah! Another likeable character was a love interest for Celeste played by Chris Messina...the brother I liked so much from Ruby Sparks! Yay for indie movie incest! 

My main critique stems from the loads of symbolism that is dropped on you. Not only are there symbols for all the emotions Celeste experiences (happy, sad, confused, hungry) but they hit you over the head by then explaining what the symbol you just saw means. Like, dudes, I get it. I'm at a goddamn art house cinema and I can follow some romantic comedy's storyline without sparknotes.

I definitely recommend it, if only to verify and validate Samberg as a real actor man now. I've seen many movies try to be the next 500 Days of Summer and although C&J isn't quite there, they certainly come close and put their own spin on it.

CUE THE PIANO MAN!


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