By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
There’s always something a little surreal about visiting a major movie star’s earlier works and discovering how crass they are. For example, Paul Rudd is now seen as a clean, non-threatening dude who can easily headline franchises like Ant-Man and Ghostbusters. But in 2009, he starred in the vulgar comedy I Love You, Man. It featured stars from The Office and How I Met Your Mother, and it completely changed my perception of what a romantic comedy could be.
That’s because I Love You, Man (mostly) avoids this genre’s most annoying trope: the endless bickering of the leading couple. In this movie, the love between our two leads (young professionals who have just gotten engaged) is never really in question. Instead, the central drama focuses on how a real estate whiz (Paul Rudd, known to genre fans for his leading role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife) doesn’t have enough male friends to choose someone as his best man.
That all changes when he meets a quirky investor played by Jason Segel, best known for both the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The two characters have an easy chemistry, and their hangout sessions (which include everything from fish taco feasts to guitar jam sessions) quickly establish their breezy friendship. But it’s a friendship threatened by some behind-the-scenes drama that, if left unchecked, may end the entire wedding before it begins.
Segel’s performance on How I Met Your Mother cemented his reputation as a sitcom legend. He is joined by fellow legend Rashida Jones, best known for her performances in The Office and Parks and Recreation. They have great chemistry with each other and with Paul Rudd, and this trio breathes life into a script that is surprisingly frank about heady topics like love, sex, and friendship.
While I Love You, Man has plenty to say about those subjects, it never gets too serious or even a little bit preachy. Instead, the heaviness of what it has to say is perfectly canceled out by the razor sharp humor which holds up remarkably well. It’s a movie you can enjoy as a punchline-filled romp, but you can also enjoy it as a one of the best dramedies ever made.
It won over the critics: on Rotten Tomatoes, I Love You, Man has a critical score of 82 percent and an audience score of 74 percent, meaning that critics and casual audiences alike enjoyed this film and its impeccably chill vibes. In general, audiences praised the movie for its heartfelt performances, all of which elevated a movie with a deceptively simple premise.
Will you agree that I Love You, Man is a comedy revelation featuring a dream team of all-time talents? Or will you decide that you’d rather just watch its big stars in the comedies that made them famous? Stream it on Hulu today to discover just how weird this bass-slapping, beer-crushing buddy comedy can get!
I LOVE YOU, MAN REVIEW SCORE
