Peter Klaven and Sydney Fife might just be The Odd Couple of Generation X and Y. With Paul Rudd doing Jack Lemmon and Jason Segal Walter Matthau, these two form a wonderfully realistic updated version of the original 1960s buddy comedy.
John Hamburg (Along Came Polly), working from a script Rudd helped co-write, once again demonstrates the cleverness and utility of Judd Apatow’s group of comedic thespians. With a line-up including The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad and Funny People, it seems Apatow’s crew can do little wrong.
I Love You You, Man is not an Apatow production per se but does carry with it the same sense of form, decidedly un-matinee idol actors with real-guy down-to-earthness. But what makes Rudd, Segal, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel and Leslie Mann different from, say, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson – another group of comedic Hollywood A-listers – is their lack of dependence on physical humour.
None of these movies are funny because of the physicality of the performances. Instead, these are stand-up comedians as actors and it’s how they deliver their lines that impresses. I Love You, Man is exactly that kind of movie. Rudd and Segal play off each other’s lines, with laughter coming from when they are just chatting, their emphasis on certain words and what they choose to think is funny. Humour like this cannot be taught; it’s spontaneous.
Peter Klaven (Rudd) is a Los Angeles realtor about to get married. He realizes that he has hardly any male friends. Peter, according to his father (J.K. Simmons) and brother (Andy Samberg) has always been devoted to his girlfriends and never developed strong bonds with dudes. His best friend is his mother (Jane Curtin) and as he prepares for the wedding, he decides to go on a series of man-dates to make some guy friends. These do not go well until he meets Sydney Fife (Segal), an interloper at one of Peter’s open houses, and immediately strikes up a friendship. Peter’s uptightness is the polar opposite of Sydney’s loose, man-child attitude. He was, of course, at the open house to pick up divorcees.
What could have been a standard buddy comedy is actually much deeper, not My Dinner With Andre deep, but deeper than standard fare. With discussions of music, relationships, aging and growing up, I Love You, Man acts like a latter-day Lemmon-Matthau comedy, with a sadness underneath that makes it authentic. With supporting turns by a cast that even includes former Hulk Lou Ferrigno, there is little in this movie that does not seem smart and creative. Even though it ends with a typical pat comedy ending, it nonetheless is heartfelt throughout.
Segal is a true talent, his breakout performance in Forgetting Sarah Marshall proved he could be a leading man and hopefully he will continue to be choosy about his future roles. Rudd has steadily become one of the comedic geniuses of the 2000s, adding a touch of sadness he brings to his performances, as well as some spot-on impression talent. He has often been the scene stealer in the Apatow canon, taking supporting roles with lines that are the most memorable. Oddly, he straddles comedy and a Jack Lemmon or Kevin Spacey-style of acting. As he ages, I would not be surprised to see him take on more dramatic roles.
With discussions of music, relationships, aging and growing up, it acts like a latter-day Lemmon - Matthau comedy, with a sadness underneath that makes it authentic.- Jamie Gillies
