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How entertaining? ★★★★☆
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆ 18 June 2012
This a movie review of THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT. |
“C is for Condom.”
Wedding-themed comedies, especially of the romantic variety, have often been criminally awful; think BRIDE WARS and 27 DRESSES. However, THE HANGOVER and BRIDESMAIDS boded well for a new, laugh-out-loud direction in the subgenre; and I’m pleased to report that THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT joins these latter two. Even with a funny trailer I was sceptical. The end result is surprisingly hilarious. The gag rate is so high.
This is the filmmaking team behind FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, and while that was lacklustre, star and co-writer Jason Segel has already knocked one film out of the park in the last year: THE MUPPETS. His streak continues. And after working with one great actress, Amy Adams, the lesson is learned and he chooses Emily Blunt. Even in dross like SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN she is the standout, and elevates quality fare such as THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. There is genuine chemistry between Segel and Blunt.
Wedding-themed comedies, especially of the romantic variety, have often been criminally awful; think BRIDE WARS and 27 DRESSES. However, THE HANGOVER and BRIDESMAIDS boded well for a new, laugh-out-loud direction in the subgenre; and I’m pleased to report that THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT joins these latter two. Even with a funny trailer I was sceptical. The end result is surprisingly hilarious. The gag rate is so high.
This is the filmmaking team behind FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, and while that was lacklustre, star and co-writer Jason Segel has already knocked one film out of the park in the last year: THE MUPPETS. His streak continues. And after working with one great actress, Amy Adams, the lesson is learned and he chooses Emily Blunt. Even in dross like SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN she is the standout, and elevates quality fare such as THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. There is genuine chemistry between Segel and Blunt.
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The four word title succinctly summarises the plot. Tom and Violet have been seeing each other for a year and he decides to pop the question straight into proceedings. It is fluffed and awkward, setting the tone for the whole film. Instead of grim mawkishness, the bane of the mainstream rom-com, we are in a story peopled by the stubborn, self-centred and abrasive. What makes this so refreshing is the hilariously unlikeable loved-ones who surround the two leads.
Needless to say a ridiculous amount of hurdles are placed in the path to hoped-for matrimonial bliss. Violent gets a great job in Michigan, which means they have to uproot from San Francisco where Tom is a successful chef. He is unable to get a decent job in the new place. This conundrum of career choices is believable, and the relationship ups and downs too. What I wasn’t sure about was how Violet could allow Tom’s unhappiness to go on for so long. But as my friend, who saw the movie with me, stated, a gradual decline would credibly not be noticed; though alarm bells are going off for everyone else outside the couple. I guess when you’re brewing your own mead, and serving it from a jug made of hooves from the deer you killed, I wasn’t sure whether perhaps Violet might have instigated an intervention? Either way, I really liked that THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT didn’t just say that after you’ve found someone special everything is all fairy tale gubbins – it seems crazy that such an idea is so rare in the movies aimed at a mass audience. There was a setting out of the filmmakers’ stall immediately: a romantic comedy reference to Tom Hanks, “Most relationships end up like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or PHILADELPHIA.”
Oh yeah, could Emily Blunt be any more loveable?
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