Logan J. Fowler checks out Jason Segel’s new romantic comedy…
When Tom (Jason Segel) proposes to Violet (Emily Blunt) on the anniversary of their first meeting, everything seems perfect. However, they hit a road bump in life when Violet gets accepted to a Psychology program at the University of Michigan that will lead her to eventually teach courses. Tom must uproot his life in San Francisco and his successful career as a chef in order for his fiancé to achieve her happiness. Despite his sacrifice, the two cannot get married until Violet finishes the program, which delays the ceremony a few more years.
The Five Year Engagement hits the cliché notes of a romantic comedy of this nature. Two meet, two connect, two plan for something big that falls apart, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how they end up. Aside from that, The Five Year Engagement works primarily because of its cast and the scenarios they are placed in. Segel is his usual charming self, but where he normally would be the forefront of the comedy situations, those moments are reserved for Chris Pratt, who plays his best friend Alex. Pratt steals every single scene he is in, from wooing Suzie (Alison Brie, adorable as ever with a British accent to boot) with a Spanish tune, to his camaraderie with Tom.
Segel also has a undeniable chemistry with Emily Blunt, who I have not really seen much of in movies, but really did like as Tom’s love interest. She’s sweet and funny, and you could really believe she and Tom were meant to be. It’s owed to these two that this movie works based on their dialogue and ability to seem like they’d be perfect for each other.
There’s a point of the film where it does sort of drag, and for fear of spoiling it, I won’t say much, but there’s a bit too much added in and it slows the film down quite a bit. Thankfully, it reels us back in with a brilliant (and in my case, biased) scenes where Blunt and Brie talk to each other in Muppet voices. At that point, the film kicks it back into gear and things get rolling way better towards the finish line.
The Five Year Engagement is going to draw comparisons to similar films in the category it seems to be; Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and 40 Year Old Virgin. All of these movies have been raunchy with heart, and warm our hearts along with attempting to make us cry ourselves silly. While this movie touches upon similar themes as those previously mentioned, it really does stand on its own as best it can, and even though it’s predictable, those movies were too. At this point, predictability doesn’t matter, but rather, it’s how much fun we can have with what’s provided.
The Five Year Engagement provides a ton of good laughs and has a wonderful cast involved. It’s a solid date movie too, as I brought my significant other to the screening, and she was laughing quite a bit herself. It’s definitely a good time, quite engaging to say the least. –drum clash-
Rating: 8.5/10
Nice review.
I really didn’t like when the gals went to the muppets voices – but in reflection I agree with your point that this was a turning point in the film.
Looks like we both appreciated the chemistry between Blunt and Segel. You actually gave the film a slightly higher rating than I did. Mine was a 4.0 out of five.
I think the film will do very well at the box office.
Check out my review if you have a chance.