I Love You, Man Blu-ray review

Bromance blossoms on Blu-ray.

You’d might think that a comedy film billing Paul Rudd and Jason Segel is nothing more than a post-Apatow pairing of familiar actors in a “whacky” situation, but I Love You, Man shakes off preconceptions to bring you a sometimes funny, sometimes awkward romantic comedy. That’s right – a romantic comedy.

Frat pack fans hoping to see an encore of the usual Apatow produced shenanigans will be surprised, as director John Hamburg wants to start a discussion about platonic male relationships. I Love You, Man is as quirky as it gets, and makes for a good looking Blu-ray, if totally uneven movie.

It’s a shame too, because the disc is a solid one. I Love You, Man features one of the better looking transfers a mainstream comedy has received on Blu-ray, a decent set of bonus material, but the main film just doesn’t hold up.

STORYTELLING:  

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are no strangers to comedy, and I Love You, Man is not the first time the men have worked together. So your natural inclination is to expect more of the same.

But that’s not really the case.

The concept of the film is a pretty unique one. Peter (played by Rudd) is marrying Zooey (played by the lovely Rashida Jones), and it becomes quickly apparent that Peter has no, real friends. With a pitiful groomsman party and no best man, Peter goes on a mission to acquire friends in a series of “man dates”. This is arguably the best part of the film, and everyone owes Jon Favreau a great deal of gratitude for being the victim of the funniest gag in the movie.

Peter meets Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), who seems to be the direct descendant of Jeffrey Lebowski, and the two begin to forge a male bond based on their mutual love of Rush and fish tacos. Segel revels in the role, and certainly has a few laughs in the film – along with the memorable “man cave” (complete with HDTV, musical instruments and jerk off station).

Zooey begins to drift apart from Peter as his friendship grows with Sydney, and the building tension hits a boiling point. I Love You, Man brings up the intriguing topics of male bonding, finding friends as men get older and the effects of a platonic relationship on a romantic one. And yet, the film never feels comfortable with really pushing those ideas past the comfort zone, and undercuts its originality.

The film also runs into a snag when it becomes a melodrama, as the friends naturally part ways and reunite. There is even the cliche scene of each character fondly missing one another as they struggle with separation. It’s as formulaic as you can get, and ultimately costs the film from being legitimately memorable.

It’s not all bad, though. Rashida Jones is great as Rudd’s fiance, because it’s the first time in recent memory when a bride wasn’t built up as a tightly wound harpy for comedic effect. The rest of the supporting cast shines, even if slipping into familiar roles.

Favreau almost steals the show as a testosterone-fueled jerk married to one of Zooey’s bridesmaids. J.K. Simmons continues his streak of strong comedic performances, even in a cast that includes Andy Samberg, Thomas Lennon and Jane Curtin. Lou Ferrigno is the centerpiece, as the film is kind of almost oddly built around him, and manages to hold his own.

In the end, a few great gags and a great concept don’t necessarily gel to create a memorable comedy. Comedies are remembered for their ability to push boundaries (and some would say offend), not for being somewhat humorous.

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