CinePhillyist Reviews...I Love You, Man

"Bromance" is one of the new terms that I don't despise (I'm looking at you, whoever coined "Recessionista"). Judd Apatow has consistently been bringing the funny with stories of man-boys refusing to exist in the grown-up world of real jobs, sex, girlfriends, and non-pot smoking. This foray into the Peter Pan world is not actually associated with Apatow, but it is the logical extension of his formula. I Love You, Man takes the charming and slightly girlish Paul Rudd and pairs him with man's man Jason Segal while following all the rules of Romantic Comedy.

The premise of the film is that real estate agent Peter Klaven (Rudd) proposes to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones), but he doesn’t have any male friends from whom to choose his best man. He’s always been a sensitive guy, his girlfriend’s man—an adorable, considerate, good dresser who makes hot chocolates with cinnamon swizzle sticks after accidentally coming home during Zooey’s lady’s night. She and the girls love the drinks, but wonder if there isn’t something wrong because Peter has no friends.

This begins a frantic search for friends: a set up from mom, a set up from the gay brother (Andy Samberg), internet facilitated “man-dates” until he meets the perfect guy at Lou Feriggno’s open house (TV’s Incredible Hulk makes a great comic cameo in the film). In order to hang out, Peter must first survive the nervousness of the first phone call—he hesitates, rambles, and makes no sense before it all works. Together, Peter and Sydney (Segal) hang out for hours in the “man cave” doing man things—playing guitar, talking about masturbation at the masturbation station, refusing to clean up after the dog, and being dudes. They have an important conversation in front of a fountain—the friendship was meant to be. I giggled through this entire section of the movie.

J.K. Simmons is a scene stealer as Peter’s father, Jane Curtain plays a realistic mother, and Samberg is funny as the gay brother—but sometimes the movie does push a little too hard on the gay thing. As if to say, this is “Bromantic” Comedy—not a real romance between two guys. These guys aren’t gay. Seriously, they’re not gay.
But, as a whole, this is a great way to laugh through an evening. Go on a date, with the guys, or with the girls. Just not with your momma—too much vomit and poop.