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Quirky, Romantic, Film Nov 23, 2009
Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) and John Krasinski (Jim, The Office), finally step outside of their television roles and deliver wonderful performances in a mostly quirky odd movie about becoming an adult. The soundtrack is absolutely fabulous.
Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) have lived together for many years. Burt wants to get married, but Verona refuses. Within the first 10 minutes, Verona gets pregnant and spends the rest of the film 6 months pregnant. This is essentially a road movie, the couple try to figure out where they should live; Phoenix, Madison, Wisconsin, Montreal, Miami? Each act starts with a black screen and huge white letters, Away to Phoenix, Away to Madison, Away to Montreal, etc.
At first, Burt and Verona seem very odd, Burt in particular appears extra simple. The film opens with Burt under the covers between Verona's legs. He discusses her flavor and studies about those changes, much to her dislike she tells him to be quiet. They have what appear to be strange conversations. Then we meet his parents, and Burt and Verona appear down right normal. Jeff Daniels, Burt's father, is so funny. Catherine O'Hara, Burt's mother, plays a great straight person to those jokes. Allison Janney (West Wing) is the obnoxious loud mouthed former boss living in Phoenix. Maggie Gyllenhaal is priceless as the hippie cousin professor in Madison.
In the third act, Burt and Verona are called to Miami to help out Burt's brother. The film stalls horribly. There is a transition away from strange people and off the wall conversations, to normal every day mundane things. In some respects, the film would have been better leaving off the Miami act altogether. The ending makes up for the bad 15 minutes.
This film is rated R, mostly for some strong language. There isn't any nudity. The opening scene is very suggestive, and abundantly clear what Burt is doing to Vernona under the sheets between her legs. There is no violence. Aside from that opening scene and the language, this film could be viewed by a mature younger viewer.
I really loved the cast. It was fabulous to see John Krasinski finally not being Jim from Scranton. He was an unusual insurance salesman that was very in love with Verona. Maya Rudolph played a very serious role in this film. She has left behind all the Saturday Night Live imitations and characters she's done so many times. If you are expecting more of the same television performances from these two actors, you will be disappointed.
The film is an hour and thirty eight minutes long. The DVD includes a commentary track, bonus features of a 'Making of' featurette (16 minutes) and a 'green filmmaking' (6 minutes) piece. The making of, reveals what I had kind of guessed - another location substituted for Madison and Montreal (if you are familiar with either city, you will very quickly realize these are horrible fictional versions of these cities). The green film was a bit self serving. Making a film is probably one of the farthest from green businesses in the world. The big win they got on this film was eliminating plastic water bottles, recycling, and finding use for the leftover wood. Well, it's something.
This is a good film. It is romantic without being sappy. It is a subtle road movie. And it is about a couple growing up and finding their home.
Fun Little Romantic Comedy Nov 20, 2009
This was a fun little movie with lots of things to think about in a couple starting out in the world together. I always love Maya Rudolph.
 I adore this movie!!! Nov 16, 2009
This movie was amazing. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. It was cute and funny and quirky. And I loved watching John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as a couple, and Katherin O'hara and Allison Janney were hysterical. And not only that, the music in the movie was beautiful, I got the soundtrack asap :)All in all, well written, great directing, terrific acting, and...just...god, awesome.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Could have been so much better! Nov 14, 2009
I was prepared to love this movie, and when it was only John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, for the most part I did. Especially his character, which was sweet, charming, warm, and loving. But when they brought in the rest of the cast, they ruined the movie for me. Why is it they cannot seem to make a movie for adults anymore without everyone spouting foul language left and right? It's not funny, it's not intelligent or witty writing, it's simply lazy. And for a female writer to descend to the same locker-room level as the "boys" is pathetic. This movie could have and should have been so much better than this! It had so many little bright spots that save it from utter disappointment. Fast forward through the scenes with Allison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhaal and you won't have missed much at all. Sorry, ladies; I like you both, but not in this movie.
Cyndy K.
"Sneaks up and floors you." Nov 14, 2009
I ran across a review of this film that included the line that it "sneaks up and floors you." My wife and I enjoyed the movie in a light sort of way. Lots of good laughs and fun in the goofy characters. Then the last few minutes do in fact sneak up and floor you and left my wife and myself weeping during the credits. And, it's not because of a twist, or false sentimentality, or, God forbid, a "Love Story" type ending. Instead, we get a truly artful conclusion that elicits all kinds of emotions, as would a really well-crafted poem, heartfelt, but subtle and not at all manipulative. John Krasinski gives a fine performance, but the real gem here, of course, is Maya Rudolph. This is as good, wide-ranging, and skillful as any performance I've seen in a film in a few years. Probably the best film I've seen this year.
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