Dir. John Hamburg
Writ. John Hamburg, Larry Levin
Act. Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Jason Segel

Now here is a very smart movie that I thought would be stupid. Turns out it has a lot of respect for what it's trying to say.

Real estate agent Peter Klaven, played by Paul Rudd (Role Models), becomes engaged to his 8-month girlfriend Zooey, played by Rashinda Jones (TV's The Office), and starts to feel bad that he has no real guy friends to include in his wedding party.

Peter eventually goes on a series of man-dates, which go horribly, but eventually meets Sydney, played by Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), an investment broker. Peter and Sydney fall into a friendship with each other which soon puts a strain on Peter's relationship with Zooey.

I felt the movie had plenty to say about male bonding and the need to have friends of your own gender (or opposite of your sexual preference, for you gay folks) in a contemporary manner. It also felt very believable, even though you don't see a lot of films dealing with this type of problem.

Rudd and Segel are great as usual. This film is an expo as to why they are two of the new comedic actors getting all the talk right now.

Jones is a little cutie. I thought so when she was on The Office, and now NBC's Parks and Recreation show. I'm pleased to see her start to get film work, for sure. I look forward to what else she has in her range.

One plot point I got hung up on was that Peter was surprised people went for the billboards Sydney used the borrow $6K to purchase. Any advertising is still good advertising. Doesn't Peter know that? Besides embarrassment, why was he so upset about them? Hmm.

I didn't like Adam Sanberg (TV's crappy latest years of Saturday Night Live). Of course, I don't like any of the new SNL cast in anything really. His character served a function, but I would've enjoy someone else in the role. At least Sanberg didn't screw it up.

Overall, I think it's a decent date movie that both man and woman should enjoy, but you could wait until it comes to DVD. No real reason to see this one in the theaters.

"I Love You, Man" was very, very good. But I wouldn't describe it as a must see for the year.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?