Men Need Love Too...

Rating: 7/10 (17 July 2009)

Paul Rudd, alum of several Judd Apatow movies such as Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, stars as Peter Klaven who, mere weeks away from his wedding to Zooey (Rashida Jones of "The Office" fame), realizes that he has no male friends. This isn't due to social ineptitude, however; Peter gets along well with both sexes but primarily his sensitivity is attuned to friendships with women. In order to seek out a best man aside from his gay brother (SNL's Andy Samberg) or father, Peter goes on several "man dates" in order to deepen his pool of males with whom to bond. One man in particular, Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Jason Segel, appropriately fits the bill, and the two men embark on a friendship that forms the core of this movie.
I Love You, Man explores an interesting facet of male relationships, an area often twisted in other movies into homosexual innuendo. Fortunately, though, the story of I Love You, Man doesn't take this path, instead choosing to enlighten the viewer through crude humor, slapstick comedy, and witty discussion. Though not written by Apatow, those who saw his aforementioned movies will undoubtedly enjoy what this movie brings to the table. Rudd and Segel are a great comedy team; it's nice to see Rudd especially break out on his own. There are several points throughout the movie where the "man dates" closely resemble heterosexual dates, and Rudd shows his acting skill at making the situation uncomfortable for both his character and the viewers.
All in all, I Love You, Man is a solid comedy, closely following Knocked Up as a movie that can be enjoyed both by men who enjoy off-color humor, as well as women who will appreciate the emotional back-and-forth between the characters involved. Recommended.