I Love You, Man, has a fairly intriguing premise, especially considering that the marketing sells it for the type of movie that rarely yields anything refreshing or original: stupid buddy flick with lots of laughs. The cast has some favorites--the wonderfully dry Paul Rudd, Freaks and Geeks' Jason Segel, a criminally underused J.K. Simmons and SNL's Andy Samberg (sadly stuck with only one real scene). Despite some great actors, the chemistry comes off lacking, the pace leans towards plodding, and some of the jokes wear unbearably thin. This is especially disappointing, considering that underneath a predictable comedy lies a pretty intriguing concept.
Finding New Friends
Peter Klaven (Rudd) is getting married and it becomes rapidly apparent while planning the wedding that he has no real male friends. Clearly, the solution is to get some. Already, the notion of going out and finding friends addresses a strangely difficult task--how do you get friends? It soon parallels (all too realistically) blind dates and the woes that befall anyone trying to find a significant other. The film also touches on the much-understated but especially true idea that finding a wonderful new friend and confidant is often just as exciting as the first few dates in a romance.