I Love You, Man B-

In Theatres, Rated R, 105 Minutes

Paul Rudd’s rocket-ascent from dependable second-fiddle to leading man continues upward with this by-the-numbers bromance. Rudd plays recently engaged and future perfect husband Peter Klavin. Only chink in his armor, he doesn’t have a best bud to be his best man. So, his future wife Zooey, (Rashida Jones, The Office) and her bevy of girlfriends decide to set him up on a series of man dates with the hope that he can fill out the bridal party in six months. While these attempts routinely (and in some cases, hysterically) fail, he stumbles into an unlikely friendship with unabashed guy Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother). Needless to say, the friendship starts interfering with relat-time with his honey and Klavin has to make some not-so-difficult decisions.


While there’s nothing particularly new here, Rudd and Segel are pretty seriously funny dudes, Rashida Jones is endlessly likable, and the supporting cast is surprisingly solid—Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, J.K. Simmons, and Andy Samberg. Samberg, in particular, is funny as Peter’s gay brother who now only goes after straight guys because he likes the challenge, and Favreau and Pressly play an “old” married couple to perfection. Still, the jokes get weaker and the film continues and the portrayal of how guys “really” are goes a little over-the-top. There are some conversations guys don’t have, actually, and even Segel and Rudd can’t sell those.
B-