And now for something completely different. I figure, with that dreaded day known as Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I should go ahead and start pulling out some films that can relate to that specific subject. So here we go with a little gem I discovered not too long ago.
The film centers around two childhood friends who grow up together, begin dating, then get married, then start to grow apart, then decide to separate, then decide to divorce. AND ALL IN THE OPENING MONTAGE!!! I do like that approach, however, as it gives us the full story of two people struggling with not only divorce, but trying to lead two completely different lives at the same time.
The film centers around two childhood friends who grow up together, begin dating, then get married, then start to grow apart, then decide to separate, then decide to divorce. AND ALL IN THE OPENING MONTAGE!!! I do like that approach, however, as it gives us the full story of two people struggling with not only divorce, but trying to lead two completely different lives at the same time.
We actually get to see a different side of Andy Samberg here. People usually think of him as the dude from those SNL Digital Short skits, or the funny cop on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine". But in this film, he goes for a more somber approach to the role of Jesse, a broke artist with no job, who moves on during the divorce by getting himself a new girlfriend and soon finding out that he's going to be a father. I quite liked his acting ability when he chooses to just play a character in this way, and gets away from that wacky character he has built around his image. And what is there to be said about Rashida Jones? She completely OWNS this movie! It's her character that gets just a little more screen time than Samberg, and that's completely okay by me. Her character, Celeste, goes through somewhat of a growing period. At first she's fine with the divorce, actually being the one who instigated it. But yet, as time goes on, and the news that Jesse's new girlfriend is pregnant, she is sent on a whirlwind spiral of emotions while at the same time trying to hold down the job of being a trend analyzer and working with an incredibly immature teen pop star, played by Emma Roberts. An argument could be made that since this movie was co-written by Jones herself, then its no wonder why she grasped the character so well. But I've always admired her skills, and she's another one who's best known for her roles in comedies like "The Office" and "Parks and Rec".
Of course, the supporting cast also helps make this film really stand out. We get Celeste's business partner and friend, played by Elijah Wood, along with Ari Graynor and Eric Christian Olsen, who portray best friends to both Jesse & Celeste. Emma Roberts does a wonderful job in the role of the snotty, self-obsessed teen pop idol that you would most likely find on some MTV "Teenage Jackass"-type show.
Of course, the supporting cast also helps make this film really stand out. We get Celeste's business partner and friend, played by Elijah Wood, along with Ari Graynor and Eric Christian Olsen, who portray best friends to both Jesse & Celeste. Emma Roberts does a wonderful job in the role of the snotty, self-obsessed teen pop idol that you would most likely find on some MTV "Teenage Jackass"-type show.
So when it comes down to it, I would definitely recommend this film to anyone. It catches the emotions of two people who have known each other for so long, yet find themselves going through something so painful as a divorce. And the not knowing of what comes next, or how you will react to that person in the future. If you ever find yourself with some time on one of these cold, winter nights, and you feel like indulging in a nice film, then this would be a great choice for you.