They Came Together

They Came Together
June 27, 2014
Lionsgate
Comedy, Romance
DVD
B

This is better than Wanderlust, perhaps because director David Wain is again reunited with his Wet Hot American Summer writing partner Michael Showalter.  As it happens, they wrote the script a dozen years before this was released, soon after WHAS, and it is also a spoof, although definitely less rooted in a specific time.  I found it equally funny, but apparently it was even less of a success.  (I wanted to see it in a theater but had to wait for DVD.)  Like WHAS, it has a dark side, but there are moments where rom-com tropes are played very close to usual.  Certainly the casting of Paul Rudd as the "handsome in a nonthreatening sort of way" male lead leads to self-parody, although Amy Poehler always seems much too smart for her character.  The frame device of Bill Hader (among other things, The Voice in Scott Pilgrim) and Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids) as Kyle and Karen, another couple they're having dinner with, helps give the movie structure.  (It was originally designed without this device.)  I also need to mention that the music is dead-on, including the in-movie Norah Jones video, with a confused-looking John Stamos.  I don't know that this movie will age well, but for now it's on a level with WHAS.

Michael Ian Black was McKinley in WHAS and is Trevor here.  Ken Marino was Victor in WHAS, Rudd's brother Rick in Wanderlust, and is Tommy here.  Zandy Hartig was Marcy in Wanderlust and is Katherine here.

Jason Mantzoukas was part of the Gay Couple in Baby Mama and is Bob here.  Alex Hartman was a Princeton Applicant in Admission and is '80s Dancer Party Guest here, while Barbara Vincent was a Birthday Party Guest there and is a Football Player here, and Gameela Wright is a Police Officer here and was Woman in Adoption Agency there.  Zak Orth has been showing up in small roles in my movies since In & Out, and here he plays the Waiter with Pole.  Cobie Smulders did the voice of Wonder Woman in The Lego Movie and plays Tiffany here.

It's like New York is another character.

Admission

Admission
March 22, 2013
Focus Features etc.
Comedy, Drama
DVD
B

Based on a book I've never read, this has a refreshingly not-quite-resolved ending.  It is happy, in a bittersweet way, but not all the problems have been solved.  I was on the fence about the grade, whether B- or B, because I'm not sure how much of my fondness for the film is for its cast, particularly those I've tagged.  Tina Fey is of course a soft-hearted Type A and Paul Rudd is an amiable, boundary-crossing idealist.  It's good to see them work together, but their romance is too much in the background for this to be a rom-com, or even a dramedy-com.  (Their relationship, in the sense of how they relate, matters, but not the romantic side so much.)  Perhaps needless to say, Wallace Shawn, as Fey's boss, and Lily Tomlin, as Fey's mother, are perfect, giving the roles much more than expected.  (The details are great, too, like the vintage late '70s picture of Tomlin on the back of her character's feminist classic, The Male Mistake.  Or her Bella Abzug tattoo.)  The supporting cast is good, too, notably Michael Sheen as Fey's ex that thinks she's not over him, and Gloria Reuben as Fey's rival.

The blend of humor and drama generally works and I felt like even the more exaggerated scenes (like a cow giving birth) rang true on some level.  At the time (two and a half years ago), I saw this shortly after Warm Bodies, and probably would've ranked that a bit higher, but now I find that this is the movie that stays with me more afterwards.  Warm Bodies is entertaining, but this one made me think more, even if it doesn't quite live up to its potential.  And, yes, I need to read the book someday, although I hope it's better than the print version of Warm Bodies.

Alex Hartman, who's a Princeton Applicant here, would be '80s Dancer Party Guest in Rudd's They Came Together, while Barbara Vincent, who's a Birthday Party Guest here, would be a Football Player there.

Yes, I didn't say anything about the whole "Is this kid her son?" plot.

Wanderlust

Wanderlust
February 24, 2012
Apatow Productions etc.
Comedy
DVD
C+

More than a decade after Wet Hot American Summer, David Wain co-wrote and directed this story about a bunch of weirdos living in the woods.  There are definite differences.  For one thing, instead of looking back about twenty years to the '80s, this is about a 40-year-old commune in present-day.  For another, this time there are two outsiders, a married couple, George and Linda Gergenblatt, played by Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston.  Unfortunately, this movie never quite, well, comes together.  (You see what I did there.)  The combination of Wain and Apatow doesn't really work.  I don't think the movie is as bad as its reputation is, although it's not as good as WHAS, or for that matter Object of My Affection.  (Interestingly, Alan Alda, who was Aniston's brother-in-law there, here plays commune founder Carvin.)  If you set your expectations really low, you might laugh a few times, as I did.  Still, the best thing about the movie is the Baby song "Get Your Body."

Jessica St. Clair was Whitney in Bridesmaids and is Deena Schuster here.  Carryovers from Wet Hot American Summer include Michael Ian Black (McKinley,  himself, also Trevor in Wain's They Came Together), Nina Hellman (Nancy, Protester), Peter Salett (Guitar Dude, Manfreddie), and Michael Showalter (Gerald Cooperberg and Alan Shemper, himself).

Zandy Hartig, who plays Marcy, would be Katherine in They CT.  Keegan-Michael Key is Marcy's Flunkie here and would do the voice of Foreman Jim in The Lego Movie.

I Love You, Man

I Love You, Man
March 20, 2009
DreamWorks etc.
Comedy
DVD
B-

This is one of the better not-quite-Apatow movies to emerge in the last dozen years or so, although not without its flaws.  It is not, perhaps surprisingly, very gross (a couple vomiting scenes aside), although it is undeniably crude.  (Mostly in sexually frank dialogue.)  It is much less sexist than average for the sub-genre, and in fact Rashida Jones as Zooey Rice, the patient but not infinitely patient fiancee of the "I" of the title, gives the most believable performance.  The "bromance" at the center of the movie, between uptight and awkward (but self-aware) Peter Klaven, played by Paul Rudd, and uncivilized but nice Sydney Fife, played by Jason Segel, generally works.  However, the three characters have a lot of issues with each other that are brought up but not fully resolved.  There are moments when it feels like the movie is going to go dark and it never quite comes back from them, as if, just like in a rom-com, this bro-com has to get its happy ending no matter what.  Also, some of the humor has faded after six years, although I did still laugh out loud a few times.  Furthermore, I wish there had been more of J.K. Simmons and Jane Curtin as Peter's parents, although they're perfect in their few scenes.

David Krumholtz was Michael in 10 Things I Hate About You and is Sydney's Buddy #3 here.  Carla Gallo, who's one of Zooey's Friends here, was more memorable as the Toe-Sucking Girl in The 40 Year Old Virgin.  Jon Favreau was Leo in Something's Gotta Give and is the utterly despicable Barry here.  (And meanwhile had done Iron Man, not a remio movie obviously.)

Nelson Franklin, who plays another of Sydney's Buddies, would be Comeau in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  Greg Tuculescu, who's I believe the guy who "farts at the open house," would be Kevin in Bridesmaids.  Mather Zickel, who's Gil here, would be Jim Stansel in Rudd's Wanderlust.  Wedding Photographer David Wain would be Keith in Rudd's They Came Together, while Wedding Band Member Craig Wedren would be Saxophone Player there.  (And they both have non-acting credits in common, such as Wet Hot American Summer.)

Sarah Burns, who plays Hailey here, would if I recall correctly have a similar single friend role as Harper in Going the Distance.

Rushing into it.

The 40 Year Old Virgin

The 40 Year Old Virgin (no hyphens originally)
August 19, 2005
Universal
Comedy, Romance
DVD
B-

I went back and forth between a B and a B- on this, because when the movie is good, it's very good, as in the Hair tribute at the end.  And I didn't want to be overly influenced by hindsight, that the Judd Apatow weaknesses which would be more obvious in subsequent films, from Knocked Up to Trainwreck, are evident here, in his first theatrical release.  But the truth is, the crude humor has not aged well, that what was shocking but funny a decade ago is now just gross and at best mildly amusing.  Also, far too much time is spent with the male bonding and the false leads that the title character (played by Steve Carell) faces in his search to no longer be a virgin, and not enough on the genuinely sweet romance between Carell and Catherine Keener.

And I do have to say that the main Apatow weakness is a tendency to contrast "bad behavior" with personally conservative behavior and have the latter win out, but only after we've sat through a lot of swearing, drinking, dope-smoking, homophobia, and women being treated as bitches and ho's.  In this case, the virgin loses his virginity on his wedding night.  (In Knocked Up, an unplanned pregnancy between two incompatible strangers leads to marriage, while in Trainwreck what would've once been called a party girl learns the error of her wicked ways and of course embraces monogamy.)  If you want to make an old-fashioned story, fine, but this isn't the 1920s and I get tired of the morality plays where the audience is shown the worst of wildness and then we get a Hays Code ending, like these are the only two possibilities.  That said, it's not as bad here, and the virgin does end up with a "hot grandma" who brings out the best in him, not exactly the usual Hollywood ending, in the 20th or 21st centuries.

And the male bonding does have chemistry of a different sort (even if the guys, even "sensitive" David, played by Paul Rudd) keep gay-baiting each other.  (And not that this is never funny.  The "spinach dip in a loaf of sourdough bread" line is still golden.)  Carell, Rudd, Romany Malco (who would be Oscar in Baby Mama), and Seth Rogen play off of each other well.  And Jane Lynch, as their boss, also has some great lines, mostly improv apparently.  Overall, the movie is still worth watching but I don't know that I would buy it again, given the choice.

Marilyn Dodds Frank was Alison's Mom in High Fidelity and is Woman Who Bought Television here.  Wayne Federman was an Admissions Guy in Legally Blonde and is a Smart Tech Customer here.  Carla Gallo is Toe-Sucking Girl here and would be Zooey's Friend in I Love You, Man.  Joseph A. Nuñez is Man Buffing Floor here and would be Oscar the Security Guard in Bridesmaids, while Nancy Carell is Health Clinic Counselor here and would be Helen's Tennis Partner there.

Wet Hot American Summer

Wet Hot American Summer
January 23, 2001
Eureka Pictures
Comedy, Historical, Romance
DVD
B

This is a parody/homage to the "summer camp" movies of the late '70s and early '80s, from Meatballs on out.  Some of the time it does feel like one of those movies, but one that just somehow didn't get released for two decades.  (It's set in 1981.)  And other times it feels like a dark comedy, as seen particularly in the "going to town" montage.  Then there are the very not '80s touches, like the gay wedding.  Not everything works in the movie, but enough does.  This go-round I was most impressed with the soundtrack, with no less than three title songs, although the best song is "Higher and Higher," which is used for the training montage.

The cast has many good performers, with the best of lot probably Paul Rudd, cast against "nice guy" type as Andy the good-looking "asshole."  Not only does he insult and cheat on his girlfriend, but he lets kids drown and throws witnesses out of a moving vehicle!  I was also of course quite fond of one couple, by then thirty-six-year-old Janeane Garfolo as Beth the camp director and forty-one-year-old David Hyde Pierce as Henry Newman the astrophysics professor.

Bradley Cooper, then 25, has an early role as Ben, the gay Drama counselor, while Amy Poehler (then 29) plays the overly critical Drama counselor Susie.  This time, Molly Shannon is Gail von Kleinenstein, the Arts & Crafts counselor going through a divorce.

Director/co-writer David Wain would also write and direct a couple other Paul Rudd movies I own, Wanderlust and They Came Together (the latter pairing Rudd with Poehler).  Co-writer Michael Showalter would also co-write TCT, but he doesn't seem to appear in it, as he does here, in the dual roles of Gerald "Coop" Cooperberg and Alan Shemper.  Peter Salett, who's Guitar Dude here, would be Manfreddie in Wanderlust.  Nina Hellman, who's Nancy here, would be a Protester there.  And Michael Ian Black, who plays Ben's boyfriend McKinley, would be Trevor in TCT.

Zak Orth was Mike in In & Out, is J.J. here, and would be David Newbert in Music and Lyrics.

The Object of My Affection

The Object of My Affection
April 17, 1998
Fox
Romance, Comedy, Drama
VHS
B+

Based on a book, this is smarter and more complex than the average rom-com.  Yes, it has a happy ending (for just about everyone), but the journey there is different than you might expect, particularly in a mainstream film (even of the late '90s).

It's tempting to say that straight guys got Chasing Amy, and straight girls got this movie.  That is, in the former an apparent lesbian falls in love with and has sex with a man (only to have their romance threatened by his inability to deal with her bisexual past), while this film has a straight (and pregnant) woman get lots of ballroom dancing, talk, laughs, and cuddling, as well as a potential "mate" to raise her baby with that she gets along with much better than the baby's father.  Their romance is broken by the realization that he will never be sexually and romantically involved with her, although they love each other dearly.

The thing is, George is arguably bi as well, since he does seem aroused when he and Nina make out.  He may well be more oriented towards men, but it's not as if he doesn't have feelings for women, or at least Nina.  The issue is complicated by the undeniable chemistry between 29-year-old Jennifer Aniston  and Paul Rudd (a couple months younger).  The two would pair up again, as a married couple, many years later in the disappointing Wanderlust, but they remain a believable "couple" in this movie.

The script and direction never quite resolve this, but ambiguity is OK.  As for that happy ending, George is (six years later in the epilogue) a sort of uncle figure to Nina's daughter, and George and Nina are still good (maybe best) friends.  He's with the younger man he left Nina for, while she's with the sympathetic black cop she met after what has to be the mildest mugging in film history.  (The one in Clueless is more of a nail-biter to watch!)  True, the young man's sort of lover Rodney seems to be romantically alone, but he's still part of this "family."  (The daughter's father is happy, too, and not really villainized in the movie, which is refreshing.)  Rodney is well played by Nigel Hawthorne, who brings out the poignancy of what it's like when the Object of Your Affection cannot return that affection as you'd like.

Other notable supporting cast members are 38-year-old Allison Janney as Nina's stepsister Constance, the first of at least three does-amazing-stuff-with-this-role characters that Janney plays in my film collection  Her dry delivery is a treasure!  She's paired with Alan Alda, at 62 (and 20 years after Same Time, Next Year) too old for the role (especially since he's playing the father of Nina's six-year-old niece), but still fun in his name-dropping.  And there's a fairly early role for 30-year-old Steve Zahn as George's repeatedly engaged brother Frank.

Todd Stockman was an Audience Member in In & Out and plays a dad here.  Alba Albanese was a New Yorker in As Good as It Gets and is Woman in Central Park here.  School Child George Gearhart King III would be RV Son in Two Weeks Notice, while Iraida Polanco is Carmelita here and would be Rosario there.

Clueless

The now iconic poster

Clueless
July 19, 1995
Paramount
Comedy, Romance
DVD
B+

The same boyfriend that I saw Party Girl with also invited me to this movie.  He most enjoyed the skateboarding sequence, and I wished I had someone to discuss the Jane Austen parallels with.  Luckily, some of the savvier reviews got that this was a modernized, Beverly Hills version of Emma.  Not in every detail (there's no Jane Fairfax for instance), but with enough to have fun spotting.  E.g. Cher (the Emma character, played by Alicia Silverstone) and her best friend Dionne (sort of Mrs. Weston, played by Stacey Dash) are both named after pop-singers, so it's a nice touch that Mr. Elton becomes Elton (as in Elton John).

In retrospect, the parallels seem obvious, but you have to remember that this was just before the Jane Austen revival of the mid to late '90s.  And a teen movie was the last place I expected to find such parallels.  The Austenisms aside, the movie remains a sweet, witty, slightly naughty, very '90s romp.  It was made in partial reaction to grunge (the scene of the boys in backwards baseball caps and baggy pants remains classic, especially since now many of those boys are now middle-aged and still wearing their caps like that), and also as a post-'80s fantasy of various parts of LA.  The vocabulary was close enough to the Val-speak of my own adolescence a dozen years earlier that I could follow it pretty well, although it might seem foreign to those from other backgrounds.

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, it is both miles from Johnny Dangerously in setting and theme, and not entirely unlike.  Both movies have protagonists who are on top of the world and about to fall, yet still going to come out on top.  They also both have wonderful supporting performances that almost steal the show from the charismatic leads.  And they're both very quotable.

I must note that all three of my 1995 movies have a colorful, happy, and gay-friendly vibe.  This is not how the '90s are necessarily remembered, and it's definitely not true of my '96ers.  But these three embrace a retro, cheerfully defiant attitude, while acknowledging the cynicism of the larger culture.  Also, as in The Brady Bunch Movie, the proliferation of cell phones in LA is used for humor that has dated immeasurably.

Paul Rudd, then 26, makes his big-screen debut as Josh, the Mr. Knightley character, if Mr. Knightley were a smart but slightly pretentious college student who listens to "complaint rock" and briefly grows "chin pubes."  (I told you this was very '90s.)  He would immediately become one of my movie crushes, and remain so these two decades.  We will definitely be seeing more of him.

This time, Dan Hedaya plays Cher's father, Mel Horowitz, cast against type as he was in Tune in Tomorrow....  Julie Brown as Ms. Stoeger, the lesbian PE teacher, is nothing like her character in Earth Girls.  Donald Faison, who's Murray, and Breckin Meyer, who's Travis Birkenstock, would both be Du Jour members in Josie and the Pussycats.  Much of the cast would go on to the Clueless TV series, which ran for three years.

Carl Gottlieb, who's the Priest here, was Dr. Magnus in Johnny Dangerously.  Bobbie Sunday Starr, Passenger in Jeep here, gave Marcia a dirty look in The Brady Bunch Movie.  Aida Linares, who's Lucy the maid here, would be Theresa in The First Wives Club.

"Kind of a Baldwin"?  As if!  Much cuter than Stephen et al.