Review of Comet (2014) by Lauren V — 17 Dec 2015

Pretentious. a movie for people to brag to their friends about having seen. It's 500 days of Summer for deeply cynical people; for people who hate LA. Justin Long as the awkward and insufferable Dell may have some pretty witty lines but on the whole he's off putting. I spent most of the movie wondering when I would root for him. The only time I liked his character was the scene where he woos Kimberly in front of her date. I appreciated that glimpse into the bystander who is forced to sit through a vapid and soul crushing conversations of the assholes behind them while waiting in line. Other than that show of intellectual bravado, I had no reason to like Dell. The entire movie he is a whiney, selfish man child. Perhaps that was the point, but I didnt find Rossum's Kimberly very enthralling either. Does she have a personality? She just wittily replies to Dell's lines. I get that she's cute and probably quirky (this is the ultimate hipster movie, after all) but why am I suppose to like her? She doesnt give me a reason to hate her, either, which makes her equally infuriating. It feels like Dell uses her as a prop.

Of course, the film isnt without its merits. It is visually stunning. The non-linear storytelling is kind of fun and of course everyone in the film is easy on the eyes. (Caveat the poor girl accompanying Dell in the very beginning) Maybe its because Im a fan of Portlandia and Long bears a striking resemblance to Fred Armisen, but I expected more of a dynamic character. Instead, I get a pretentious man child who pontificates away at why everything is wrong instead of trying to grow himself. Maybe thats whats wrong with this generation.