I Loved it, Man!

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2009)

Man, I love Paul Rudd. And I'm almost positive that right after you watch his latest feature, you will too.
Paul Rudd (Clueless, The Shape of Things, Anchorman, "Friends", 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Role Models) plays Peter Klaven, a semi-successful real estate agent who proposes to his beautiful girlfriend of eight months, Zooey, played by the talented heartmelter Rashida Jones (Karen from "The Office").
Their relationship seems almost picture perfect, their classic love-at-first-sight story, their comfortable HBO TV Nights, and best of all, her girl friends adore him. The only problem is, Peter's guy friends don't care much for Zooey, because well, he doesn't have any. In fact, he's never really had any. Which begs the question: Who the hell will be Peter Klaven's Best Man at his wedding??
A couple of uncomfortable and unpredictable man dates later, enter Sidney (Jason Segel), who shows up at an open house hosted by Peter Klaven. Only he's not there to check out the multi-million dollar estate owned by "The Incredible Hulk" Lou Ferrigno. Sidney's there to scope out the recent divorcées who commonly show up at open houses, and to grab some free sandwiches while he's at it.
With Sidney's uncanny understanding of male behavior, his barbaric display of testosterone, his similar taste in Rock & Roll, and his honest and vulgar approach to male bonding (hence the R-Rating), is this really the Best Man Pete's been looking for? Or the Worst Man that could ever happen to not only Pete's pending marriage with Zooey, but also his career, and ultimately his life??
As implied by the sentimental title, this film was building up to be the definitive Bromantic Comedy, and in my opinion, they pulled it off. I Love You, Man is Paul Rudd at his finest. He charmed his way into a clueless Alicia Silverstone, he started a timeless string of homophobic questioning with Seth Rogen, and he helped a self-loathing Jason Segel forget Sarah Marshall with a spaced out surf lesson.
Now Paul's back to find a best man, and the chemistry he has with the best man to-be is pure comedy. Thankfully we get a front row seat to all his awkwardness, his flamboyance, his unabashed silliness, and his hopelessness, and all of it is completely hysterical, and completely endearing. (You know how I know you're gay? You think Paul Rudd is endearing.)
Alongside Paul is a unique ensemble of characters, including Andy Samberg playing Pete's gay brother, JK Simmons playing the everyman father (not unlike his role as Juno's dear old dad), and a handful of other awesome cameos that create some great moments. Director John Hamburg does a great job of creating an open environment to let them play off of each other, uninhibited and sometimes ridiculous.
I Love You, Man is funny, honest, over-the-top yet true-to-life, and yes, I'll say it again, completely endearing.