Paul Rudd has become a bona fide leading man. It took him a while, but I’m glad it happened. Slowly but surely he climbed the ladder from Gen Y Cops and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers to Role Models and I Love You, Man. Jason Segel joins him in I Love You Man and together they made me want my own man cave.
What is a man cave you ask? It is a lair of all things men. Where men can be men, do man things and not be ashamed. Sydney Fife (Segel) has a man cave and becomes Peter Klaven’s (Rudd) man mentor. You see, Peter is a Real Estate Agent who just got engaged had has no guy friends to be in his wedding party. He has always been a girl’s guy. Afraid he’s going to upset the wedding party balance, he sets off to find a best man. After a few failed man dates Peter meets Sydney at one of his open houses and they hit it off. A bevy of scenes containing straight guys acting like they’re a couple ensues.
The story progresses and there are many supporting facets that there is no need to spell out here. So lets just talk about what works and doesn’t work in the film. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are what works. They are both on top of their game and make this film tick. I can’t really imagine anyone else in the roles being as funny, because to be honest the script is a tad weak. Rudd and Segel really bring it too life and probably make it more funny than it is on paper. The supporting characters/actors are all where they need to be as well, supporting. No one tries to steal the show and nothing sticks out as being completely unfunny. I can’t recall any complete misses, but there definitely some weaker moments. However, the weak moments aren’t weak enough to drag the rest of the film down, and the hilarious moments more than make up for it.
I did feel like the film started off a little sugary for my taste. I was worried for the first ten minutes as Klaven and his fiancé were kind of annoying. However, that wore off and the more Klaven tried to be a man, the more hilarious he became. What is great about Rudd’s performance is that there is no crazy transformation into mandom. He manages to maintain Klaven’s clean-cut and slightly dorky mannerisms while trying to be more of a dude’s man. The result is an awkwardness that is always amusing. Segel also shines as the man whose lifestyle never really changed from high school. I won’t say he hasn’t grown up, because he has, he just made some different choices along the way. He’s not immature; he’s just eccentric in my eyes.
The film is written and directed by John Hamburg, who also wrote and directed Along Came Polly. You can tell, as a lot of the same cinematic and narrative devices are used, however I Love You, Man is far more funny and enjoyable. In different hands the story could have been turned into something downright hilarious, but I have no big complaints. I Love You, Man is a nice and easy buddy comedy that hits the mark.
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