Another home run comedy

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2009)

Last year, Paul Rudd appeared in Role Models  one of the flat out funniest films I have seen maybe in the last decade.
Last year, Jason Segel appeared in Forgetting Sarah Marshall  a film from Judd Apatow that was funnier than the two more popular Knocked Up! and Superbad films.
This year, Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are together in I Love You, Man. Surely, we can't expect these two comic underdogs to hit yet another one out of the park.
Yes, we can, and Yes, they did.
I Love You, Man's plot is detailed in the two minute trailer. Rudd, who plays Peter is getting married but doesn't have that close male friend to call upon as Best Man at his wedding. Peter then undergoes various 'man-dates' in hopes of finding a male best friend. Enter, Sydney Fife (Segel). The two meet innocently enough at a home showing and immediately, Peter is in awe of someone as honest as what Sydney appears to be.
The two end up meeting at a bar and over fish taco's, a friendship is born. All they have to do is keep things on an even keel before the wedding. This being a comedy, there is fat chance of that.
I Love You, Man is a much stronger story and far funnier than Knocked Up!, although it still sits in the shadow of last years more gut busting, Role Models.
It does fall into the new trend of adult comedy which over the years has progressed from college humor antics to strong characters making realistic life choices. We can thank Judd Apatow for this movement, even if his name is not attached to this gem.
Much like Apatow's Superbad and Knocked Up!, some of the best laughs and strongest characters come from the supporting cast. J.K. Simmons and Jon Favreau continue their streak of stealing scenes with limited screen time. Favreau in particular does a good job playing Barry, a crass and arrogant friend-in-law of the Peter and Zooey (Rashida Jones), keeping him interesting even through his white knuckle ignorance.
Like most comedies, the final chapters become predictable with an even more conventional break-up/make-up of the central characters. I Love You, Man would have been better served to produce a Badder Santa type of ending rather than trying to fairy-tale it all up.
But that is small consequence in a film that brings the goods for nine tenths of the films runtime. And Rudd and Segel can now brag that they have another home run on their resume. Even if this one barely cleared the fence. www.robertsreviews.com