To infinity and above expectations

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2011)

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist has a lot more life than one would expect. It seems like a stock rom com, but when you dive into it you'll likely see it is sure to impress in the field of characters, events, and style. It is almost like an eighties film in present day. It takes place all in one night, similar to American Graffiti, and has a certain retro quality about it.
Michael Cera plays the same character that he plays throughout his entire filmography which is certainly not a bad thing. I say if you're really good at doing a certain character, keep doing it. Cera plays a good sweet and innocent boy in everything he does. In Juno he was great and same with Superbad. Kat Dennings, who looks like a younger version of the Survivor winner Parvati Shallow, is a little new in this one, but she does a great job because of her "born this way" attitude. She's very independent and very calm most of the movie.
The plot involves depressed and lonely Nick (Cera) who plays for a band called "The Jerk-Offs" being suddenly paired up with this girl and before they know it they are on the search for their favorite band called "Where's Fluffy." The girl is Norah (Dennings), a good friend of the girl who recently dumped Nick, Tris (Dzeina).
Also looking for the band are the rest of "The Jerk-Offs) played by Aaron Yoo and Ravi Gavron. Nick and Norah are first in search of Norah's drunk girlfriend Caroling (Graynor), but assuming she's in good hands, go out to hunt for the band.
The plot is sweet, but not execute very well. It portrays New York too safely. The characters never seem to be in any danger even though they are driving through some of the scummiest sidestreets in the city in a Yugo getting mistaken at various points for a cab. Also, I must ask this simple question, where the hell are the parents? With all the aside, it manages to pull through and not have all the characters play the roles they should. It's almost as if screenwriter Lorene Scafaria actually knew Nick and Norah and this is a biography. The characters don't seem forced or idiotic. They seem like pretty normal high school students.
With a pretty poor trailer and an odd marketing campaign, it seemed the only thing Nick and Norah had going for it was the soundtrack. Thankfully it isn't a one note comedy and actually manages to make itself better than a lot of twenty first century comedies. It's harmless and original. Two qualities movies of its genre should all be.
Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Alexis Dziena, Ari Graynor, Aaron Yoo, and Jay Baruchel. Directed by: Peter Sollett.