Review of Liberal Arts (2012) by Stacey S — 26 Oct 2012

A little disappointing because I like the sentiment of ridding oneself of nostalgia and embracing the age one is but this just didn't quite do it.

I found the cliched American sentiment of wallowing in the glory of University days smug and hard to take. The film was ostensibly trying to take into account this very nature for wallowing which you can tell Radnor himself feels he is guilty of. Yet it never really acheives this, despite the suicidal student and cynical over worked professor it still felt like the real love in this film was a priveleged Liberal Arts education.

Its saving graces were the character of Dean (only I would have liked to have seen a film focusing on him rather than the nauseating Zibby) and the reassuring sentiment that grown men don't always want teenage girls.

Radnor is excellent as the straight, eye-candy counterpart to comedy in HIMYM, and this is not an easy role to play, but he wrote nothing strong enough for himself to play against in his own film. He is clearly indebted to Woody Allen who has been a master of this but it is a hard trick to pull off.

To be fair, this is Radnors first attempt at direction and his heart is in the right place, it shows promise for maybe something less cliched and a little more daring next time.