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Over recent years, it would seem, the mainstream comedy genre has become a breeding ground for male arrested development. With American comedy embracing unadorned masculinity - in all its slovenly, sexist, drunken and often childish glory - with such gusto, it's a surprise that I Love You, Man is perhaps the first modern comedy that actually attempts to explore male bonding. For 100 minutes, this film tracks the protagonists as they sing Rush songs, hang out and give each other silly nicknames, while a shoestring plot lingers in the corner which is occasionally picked up when the rote structure calls for it. There are some amusing moments within I Love You, Man, but it's mostly forgettable, not to mention so formulaic that a viewer will be able to figure out what's coming next even before the film's midpoint.
The story concerns straight-laced realtor Peter Klaven (Rudd) who, at the beginning of the movie, becomes engaged to his girlfriend Zooey (Jones). All seems fine until Zooey starts calling her best friends to tell them the great news, and it soon becomes obvious that Peter has no people to call apart from his parents. Pressed by his fiancée and family, Peter embarks on a series of "man dates" in an attempt to widen his social circle. Following a number of disastrous meetings with various flakes, Peter happens upon Sydney Fife; a part-time investment councillor and a full-time slacker. Sydney opens Peter's eyes to the world of a male best friend, offering advice on romance and a discussion outlet in the form of his self-described "man cave" (a primordial shrine to narcissistic masculinity filled with TVs, instruments, comfy chairs, and even a masturbation station). But as the two grow to be inseparable, Zooey grows concerned, especially when Sydney's influence causes Peter to question his upcoming nuptials.
The semi-love affairs between straight, immature men is the topic the film tackles, and it's fleshed out using standard Judd Apatow-style ingredients: cheerful vulgarity, good-natured charm, sexually explicit & profanity-ridden dialogue, as well as off-the-wall pop culture references. Although Judd Apatow has absolutely nothing to do with I Love You, Man, one could be forgiven for thinking he was behind it. Not only does this film contain a lot of trademark Apatow elements, it also stars two Apatow alumni (Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, both of whom appeared in 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall).
Director John Hamburg (who shares a screenwriting credit with Larry Levin) is fairly sly in his construction of Peter and Sydney's story. I Love You, Man cleverly repurposes the standard scenes and conflicts of modern romantic comedies, from the cute meetings to the "getting to know you" montage to the third party which may break them up (in this case, Zooey). However the movie also adheres to the well-worn tenets of the romantic comedy genre, right down to the temporarily break up and last-minute reconciliation. With the characters warmly established and an enjoyable, fluid tone bubbling wonderfully, it's borderline criminal to halt the merriment in order to wander into a formulaic rom-com bear trap. I Love You, Man is flawed in other ways; Peter's awkward verbal blunders grow tiresome, and the unfunny character Lonnie (Truglio) shows up a few too many times.
To their credit, Hamburg and Levin have created a script which manages to avoid some of the more rough-edged clichés of the genre - Jane Curtin plays Peter's mother like a regular parent instead of some over-the-top shrew, and the homosexuality of Peter's brother not reduced to swishing stereotypes. While the movie isn't exactly the side-splitting laugh riot it probably could have been in more adept hands, there are a lot of amusing details and hysterical one-liners (Sydney's observations about male behaviour are quite amusing). Hamburg's direction isn't terribly innovative, but why would one want a director intruding on a character comedy with indulgent camerawork?
Paul Rudd may be in danger of getting typecast as the goofy boyfriend type, but he's turned this sort of role into an art form. Rudd's allure is one of the film's greatest weapons; the wedding proposal that opens the film is winning and sweet, and gets us on his side from the outset. On the other side of the spectrum is Jason Segel who's also known for a certain character (the laid-back, earnest imbecile). For the film, he essentially just plays off Rudd's straight man. Segel's matter-of-fact delivery and likability makes him a great partner for Rudd. The genuine friendship between Segel and Rudd is clear in every scene, and obvious improvisation adds an additional level to their friendship. But one also gets the feeling that they're both better than this material; nothing in the movie can hold up against their brief scenes together in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Luckily, the two leads are surrounded by a full staff of comedy players. Jon Favreau is a particular highlight, whose scenes with Jaime Pressly are downright hysterical. Rashida Jones is beyond charming as Zooey, and it's clear why Peter would be so smitten with her. Also in the cast there's J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin and Thomas Lennon (who's especially funny), to name a few.
Despite a clever premise and several laugh-aloud moments, I Love You, Man slightly underwhelms due to a story that sags a bit from overfamiliarity. Still, the accurate portrayal of male bonding and the healthy dosage of comedy makes this "bromance" worth a watch.
6.5/10
