Sometimes I totally wish I was a dude. Not just because they don't have to worry about things like makeup, shaving your legs, getting your goddam eyebrows waxed and being told you need botox, how much junk you have in your trunk, what to wear, how to walk in heels and all the other wonderful little things that go with being a lady. I also wish I was a guy because bromances look so great. I really respect and adore guys who are totally comfortable with their sexuality and don't mind being really close and affectionate with their best friends. It's amazing. As a girl, or possibly more accurately: as an open and affectionate girl, I have really wonderful connections with my best friends. But I see that for some guys it's hard to be that expressive or to say things that the 'bro-ey' types of guys would laugh at and say "dude, that's so gay!" It's a tough hand to be dealt. So it's at times like that when I think it's not so bad being a lady.
There are so many films out there about the many different types of relationships. The most common of course being love or the loss of love, there's also the mother-daughter/father-son example, there's the two girls or guy and girl friendship films, there's the step-parent vs the step-children variety and of course the frenemy phenomenon. I tried to think back through all the films I've watched in my life and there is really only one other example I could think of that hones in on the importance of friendship between boys, and that was 'Stand By Me', which I always saw as the dude version of 'Now and Then'. So when I saw the movie 'I Love You, Man' I thought how wonderfully fresh it was to see such a unique and honest portrayal of this new thing the kids are calling a 'bromance'. Sure, it's not one of those films that makes you think or pushes the boundaries or asks the big questions but not every movie needs to be that. It's funny, really funny, and a lot of the characters aren't necessarily realistic at all, they're just hilarious, but the building of the relationship between the two main characters Peter and Sydney (played by Paul Rudd and Jason Segal respectively) seems very honest to me. They instantly click, but there's those awkward moments where they're both trying to work out how far they can go with one another and Peter (Paul Rudd) is so new to having a guy friend that his excitement about it all causes him to do and say some truly embarrassing things. But that's how it is, you know? I sure get that way when making new friends. It feels like a first date, sometimes, because I want to be myself but I don't know how people will take me. So inevitably I start to say something I think will be funny and then stop halfway through, try to change course, and come out sounding a little slow. Maybe that's why I enjoyed this movie so much? It spoke to the awkward geek within me. And she screamed out 'Power to ya pistol pete!'
The character of Peter's fiancé Zooey (Rashida Jones) is amazing! I love her. She's the woman I want to be in a relationship. She's so down to earth and kind and accepting. She isn't overbearing or jealous or petty, and she wants her man to be happy in his life, but not just because he's with her. Peter is a delightful man, he's so sweet and genuine and has such respect for his friends and family. Polite to a fault, overly friendly, and really cool in an understated way. Sydney is insane. He's so funny, he has a very positive outlook but he's obviously got some relationship issues and doesn't seem enthusiastic about really succeeding in his personal or professional life. What I liked is that it wasn't one of those redemption films where he had to have sorted himself out by the end of it. His issues get brought up, he acknowledges them and we get the sense that being friends with Peter will maybe help him grow up a little, but we don't get that big "WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?????" diatribe that, if not done right, gets so old so quickly, I find.
Some honourable mentions go out to Jaime Pressly (who I think is highly underated) as Zooey's friend Denise. She's so funny and such a cool lady and her banter with her husband is golden. Also Peter's father (Legend, J. K. Simmons) and his brother (Andy Samberg) are adorable. They have a bromance too but it's so quirky and cool. To be shamefully honest, It stirred up those feelings I have about wishing my own father and I could find some more common ground. But, I doubt we'd ever get to secret handshake status like these two winners. *sigh* a girl can dream. Also Doug (Thomas Lennon) is a revelation playing a potential friend for Peter who it turns out, is into him a little too much. When he goes in for the kiss at the end of the night and Peter, shocked by this unexpected turn of events, freezes and purses his lips together as tightly as possible, Doug is just so not phased and just goes right on kissing him. He even pauses after the kiss, examines Pete's startled face… and then (clearly reading the signals wrong) GOES IN FOR ANOTHER PECK!! Oh I laughed, I laughed so hard. He is great.
I love light films, especially after a full on day. It's great to be able to just relax and laugh and go to sleep with a smile on your face. When you're as single as me, and having occasional issues falling into slumber, a smile is not a bad thing to end the day with. Thanks Jason Segal and Paul Rudd! You have a chemistry on screen that warms me like sitting by a fireplace sipping baileys over ice. I'm classy, just deal with it. :)
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