Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are an engaged couple who can't quite make it to their wedding day in this romantic-comedy from the writer and director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Bridesmaids).
Tom (Segel) proposed to Violet (Blunt) and they both couldn’t be happier. However, the nuptials are continually halted first by their friend's competing wedding dates, then Violet's career changes. As time goes on and pressure mounts from their respective Jewish/Christian parents, Tom and Violet drift apart and the big day threatens to never arrive.
With films from the Judd Apatow house of ideas (like this one) now forming the standard by which all other studio character-comedies are judged, it can be easy to get complacent about how much they elevated the form. Gone are the days of contrived deceptions and insane misunderstandings driving the plots of such films, which are now much more concerned about the blander inconveniences of life and much more willing to present characters not defined by one particular trait.
The Five-Year Engagement is as close to a ‘typical’ Apatow-produced film as we’re likely to get, so there’s no shortage of endearingly faulted characters, authentic comedic moments and worldly observations about modern life. The title suggests a one-note source of conflict, but the film is much more a patient examination of the arc of a couple’s relationship than a zany, drawn-out trip to the altar. The problems they face are familiar and grounded, and are approached without solve-all solutions.
Emily Blunt is as radiant as ever and Jason Segel slips into his well-worn cinematic persona (well-meaning doofus) like an old pair of slippers. Mad Men’s Alison Brie does a passable English accent as Blunt’s sister, and Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt demonstrates how ready he is for his own comedic leading role.
Whilst some of the threads here feel a little irresolute, that mainly speaks to the authenticity of the story. It’s less of a laugh riot than Forgetting Sarah Marshall (the last film that paired Segel and director Nicholas Stoller) but makes up for it as a refreshingly grounded portrait of a contemporary relationship.
By Dominic Corry, Flicks.co.nz
Director Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel last teamed up on the laugh-a-minute "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", another real love story of sorts and now return with one more. "The Five-Year Engagement" tells the love story of Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt). As life goes on, it aids in pushing out their wedding, creating comedic moments along the way. Emily Blunt and Jason Segel truly shine as the leads, providing a believable couple that tries to love one another through all the trouble they experience along the way. Supported by Alison Brie of "Community" and "Mad Men", and Chris Pratt of "Parks And Recreation", it is a film that carries all the typical Apatow (back again producing) traits, that of quirky characters, love and it's nuances and the occasional dirty moment that make these a delight to watch. While parts may be drawn out, as previously said both Blunt and Segel's chemistry makes the movie. Their ease around one another is a delight to watch, and make the lighter moments even funnier. "The Five-Year Engagement" is another great addition to the Apatow stable of films, and would go down a treat for a night out with your significant other.
I am a bit on the fence about this movie. I really badly wanted to see this film as the trailer looked hilarious. It was full of laughs but the story line 3 quarters of the way through becomes exceptionally different than what you would think and it definitely effects the film in a negative way. I thought Emily Blunt and Jason Segal were great, but the changes in the story line definitely made me rethink how much I enjoyed the movie.
Remember the movie 'Funny People'? The all star comedic cast movie with Adam Sandler as the protagonist? Remember how un-funny it was? How sh*t got real, fast, and you were left there in the cinema thinking "WTF?!?" Yeah, that is exactly what this movie is. NOT THAT FUNNY. Sure I laughed out loud a few times, but the plot just goes beyond the point of return and you find you can't come back and laugh at the humor after that. Also, being a feminist myself, I was looking forward to their life portrayed in the trailer that hinted a man could be happy if he let his partner follow her dream job. But this is not the case. They portray a woman who becomes a stay at home mum as having a perfect life meanwhile Emily's character who scores a sweet job stuffs her partners life and their whole relationship. The movie also reinforces the 'embarrasement' and lost potential of men choosing to be the 'stay at home dad'. I just hate that this movie is so anti-equal rights. Not only does Emily's pursuit of her dream job leave Jason's character jobless, but he losses his own self respect (along with hygiene and any sense of normalcy), while Emily's character cheats on him with her boss. Because aparently, women who score high profile and high pay jobs not only sacrifice their partners chance of a career, but will definately cheat on their partner with their boss also. REALLY disappointing and unrealistic movie.
I so badly wanted to LOVE this movie that perhaps I set myself up for a fall. I love Jason Segel as a comedic actor and writer and Emily Blunt is hands down my favourite actress at the moment, but this film was so disappointing. I was expecting a laugh-a-minute comedy, with smart humour and (seeing as it came from the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshal) a bit of crassness in there as well. Unfortunately the trailer showed ALL the best and funniest parts and the rest of the film was slow and downright depressing! It was not at all what I expected and should have been 20 minutes shorter. I would definitely recommend waiting for the DVD on this one =(
A lovely, sweet, funny, romantic, and supremely worthwhile endeavor that unfortunately takes longer to wrap up than it should.
A lively, original, and scattershot-hilarious ramble of a Judd Apatow production.
Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel's latest collaboration offers a more relatable rom-com scenario while generating laughs that should still satisfy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" fans.
Blunt has never been more relaxed, and she and Segel have a believably warm chemistry. It's also nice to find a romantic comedy with so much respect for both its leads.
Drags and sags at 124 minutes. Luckily, the movie never runs on sitcom empty. How could it, with a terrific cast.
