STARRING: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel
Another week, another comedy about male bonding.
Joining the seemingly endless list of ‘brom-coms’ coming out of Hollywood (Superbad, Pineapple Express, Role Models), is I Love You, Man, a film that escapes mediocrity thanks to its charming leads.
Paul Rudd is excellent as Peter, a man with a pretty fiancée and a steady job but no mates. To try and land a best buddy he embarks on a series of cringe-worthy man dates with disastrous results.
Then he meets lovable slacker Sydney (Segel) and the pair, having bonded over rock music and wanking techniques, spend so much time together it endangers Peter’s upcoming nuptials.
With no real gross-out gags to speak of, John Hamburg’s film depends on the chemistry between the awkward Rudd and the effortlessly cool Segel.
It’s a combo that works well with the duo, who also teamed up for Knocked Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, showing expert comic timing.
Sadly, they run out of good material and the climax is lame and predictable – but even so there’s still plenty to enjoy about this platonic love story.
Good for: Male friends who don’t mind hugging each other. PIERRE DE VILLIERS
