Paul Rudd has found a niche in comedy that few can pull off successfully: the straight man. It’s easy to hit the home run and have the best moments, but setting everything up takes as much skill as delivering the punch line. And Rudd is one of the best at that based on his recent history. He’s set up a number of talented comedians in just the past couple years including Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), Seann William Scott (Role Models) and most recently Jason Segel in I Love You, Man.
Peter (Rudd) has always been a “girlfriend” guy as opposed to having a set of close male friends. A nice guy and top notch realtor, he’s a bit socially awkward around men but is every woman’s best friend. When he proposes to his fiance, the wedding plans enter a bit of a problem. He needs a best man and his gay brother Robbie (Andy Samberg) just won’t do. So he goes out looking for a best friend and after a series of disastrous “man dates,” he meets the friend he’s been looking for: Sidney (Segel), the foul-mouthed opposite investment banker he meets inadvertently at an open house. What follows is an adventure in friendship as the two figure out they’re the best friends one another has been looking for.
Clearing $71 million domestically, the film was a success for an R-rated comedy because of Rudd and Segel. It’s hard to have an R-rated comedy become a massive box office success; the $70 million mark is something that can qualify a film as a success, as the $200 million plus hits are a rarity. More often breaking $50 million is tough.
Rudd and Segel are a great combination who worked together previously in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, another solid hit, and the chemistry they had there for a brief moment is translated into a feature length buddy comedy. Rudd is the consummate straight man and Segel gets most of the best lines of the film, obviously, and it works for two main reasons: chemistry and ability.
They have terrific chemistry together, working effectively to set up great lines and moments as well as getting us involved in their story but it wouldn’t work if both were trying to steal the film from one another. Rudd and Segel are consummate professionals, of course, and they both know their roles in the film exquisitely. These are two guys who know exactly what each other can do, as well as their own abilities, and don’t try to exceed them. The film is exclusively focused on them and they are delightful to watch.
The film itself would be rather forgettable with anyone else, seemingly, and without the two it’s a typical buddy comedy. It follows the pattern a film like this would to the predictable conclusion. There’s nothing special to it without Segel and Rudd. They make the film from a mediocre comedy to one that gets close to being special.
Presented in a widescreen presentation with a Dolby digital surround, the transfer is wonderful. This isn’t a film loaded with great visuals or great audio but for what the DVD has to do it does it very well.
The Making of I Love You, Man is an EPK piece about the film. Developed from a script originally entitled “Let’s Make Friends,” it languished in development for some time while the right director, cast, et al were assembled and the script was fine-tuned. The rest of the piece is all about how wonderful everything is, et al, and doesn’t add much back to the film-watching experience.
Extras are 23 minutes of out-takes and alternate takes that weren’t used, as well as a Gag Reel.
There are the requisite Extended Scenes and Deleted Scenes.
Previews for Road Trip: Beer Pong, Star Trek and Dance Flick.
Commentary by Director John Hamburg, Paul Rudd and Jason Segel
I Love You, Man came with some fanfare in the first quarter of the year and exited seemingly just as quick. Which is a shame because it’s a solid comedy in a year lacking them.
Paramount Pictures presents I Love You, Man. Directed by John Hamburg. Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel. Written by Larry Levin and John Hamburg. Running time: 105 minutes. Rated R. Released on DVD: August 11, 2009. Available at Amazon.
