CINEMA: I Love You, Man

If this film doesn’t make a star out of the ever-dependable Paul Rudd then nothing is going to because his performance here is pitch perfect.

He plays LA realtor Peter who is so in touch with his feminine side he’s forgotten how to hang out with the boys (that’s if he ever knew how to). So, when he proposes to girlfriend Zooey (Rashida Jones) a rather large problem looms into view – who the hell is he going to ask to be his best man?

Not his gay brother, not pig Barry (Jon Favreau) the bullying bad-tempered hubby of one of Zooey’s friends, so how about a total stranger? Enter couch-potato womaniser Sydney (Jason Segel), whose sole redeeming feature is his adoration of ancient rockers Rush;  who just happen to be Peter’s favourite band of all time. Soon Sydney is teaching Peter to walk the walk and talk the talk, but this being a comedy, Peter’s cringe-making efforts to be a man’s man are the most embarrassing thing you’ll see on the big screen this year.

The reason why Rudd’s performance here is so brilliant is even as he tries to be cool and fails epically you can see on his face that he knows he just looks like a dork, which makes him redouble his efforts – only to face even more cataclysmic failure. Not every comic scene is pulled off successfully but there are enough good moments here (choosing tuxedos, Peter trying to outdrink Barry, The Hulk turning up as himself) to keep you giggling uncomfortably in your seat. Paul Rudd, you are a star and we love you, man!

Dee Pilgrim