Review of I Love You, Man (2009) by David T — 09 Jun 2011

If anyone has doubts about their hetero status (i.e., you guys), then this film might, as one reviewer put it cause you to "squirm", but you wouldn't be alone in falling for the charm of Paul Rudd's (Peter Klaven) green eyes. It happens to Seth Rogan in "Knocked Up" and the two of them fantasize about Doc Brown's DeLorean Time Machine, eventually having a night out in Vegas.

Here, it's as if they picked up where Seth left off, letting the man's man, Sidney (Jason Segel) Fife, fall under Paul Rudd's spell too! Rudd is indefinably charismatic, just as he was to Alicia Silverstone's "Cher" in "Clueless", neither macho man nor "Sensitive New Age-guy"--well not MUCH anyway. He's a rare commodity: Just Plain Nice Guy!

As Sidney's wildness draws him out of his shell of wanting to please others, he baffles his fiancee, Zooey (Rashida Jones) and even his gay brother, Robbie (Andy Samberg). In one hilarious set-up pm his quest to find a "best friend", (by his mom of all people) Peter has dinner (an no-no, says Robbie!) with Tom Lennon, who thinks he's gay and kisses him quite thoroughly. Peter is too "nice" to tell him to get lost!

Peter quickly bonds with Sidney, admiring his openness and honesty ("it's his thing", he tells Zooey), and his ultra-smart man-cave, complete with acrylic drum set and dozens of guitars on which the 2 new friends practice songs by the favorite band, Rush.

In one hilarious scene (A major triumph for dir. John Hamburg), Sidney and Peter attend a Rush concert with Zooey and bond a LOT more, to her disgust. It seems that Peter's inner "guy" has been let out by Sidney, but not all the results are good. Zooey feels left out after awhile and Peter is curious as to why Sidney can't seem to maintain any friendships beyond a day-hike in Malibu. They are both lonely guys, yet fail to see it at first.

This film is replete with too many dog poo and other gross-out jokes, but the "Bromance" pushes all that aside and even a female can be swept up in the chemistry between these two very different guys.

If you come out of this film wishing YOUR guy had a Sidney Fife friend (or a Peter Klaven, depending), you're totally not alone! Totes magotes!