2 stars (out of four)
Older generations, such as the parents and grandparents of
Tom and Violet, can’t understand this. They got hitched young, made the best of
it and were happy enough. Where’s the romance in waiting? But there is romance
in Tom and Violet’s relationship. Their song, for example, is Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love,” about as close as there is to a definitive romantic soundtrack.
Tom is a typical Jason Segal character – kind, sensitive, a
little oafish – and Violet is his admiring British companion, a real sweetheart
who seeks a career in academia. They still flirt, joke and have good sex but
life keeps getting in the way of their actual wedding. There is always some
reason or another to extend their engagement and postpone the ceremony.
The first of these postponements results from an
irresistible career opportunity for Violet. She has been accepted to a two-year
research program for psychology but the job is in Michigan, quite a ways away
from their home in San Francisco. No worries, says Tom. They can put off the wedding
for a couple of years and get married when they come back to the Bay Area.
But this means Tom has to set aside his culinary career – he
is a sous-chef for a swanky restaurant – and settle for making fat sandwiches
for college students in Michigan. He doesn’t mind though, really, he swears.
He’s willing to compromise for the love of his life. Of course, as the
reality of two years settles in, Tom becomes less and less patient.
Meanwhile, Tom’s future best man (a wonderfully doofy Chris
Pratt) and Violet’s sister (Alison Brie) hook up and before they know it,
they’re on the married-with-children fast track. They offer Tom and Violet a
constant reminder of the still-engaged couple’s lack of progress down the same
path.
The Five-Year Engagement
has a nice heart but is a bit long and overstuffed with side characters, which
is to say it is a standard Judd Apatow-produced film. In addition to the
in-laws there are friends, co-workers, bosses and acquaintances, all played by
talented comedic actors and Apatow regulars. The movie has funny moments but
the best of these have an off-the-cuff, ad-libbed feel, a testament to the
strength of its likable cast. The more screwball shtick – including an incident
with a crossbow and another involving the lewd use of deli meats – is less
successful and mostly passes by without leaving much of an impression.
But jokes are only part of a romantic-comedy and the
majority of The Five-Year Engagement
focuses on the ups and downs of Tom and Violet’s relationship. Unfortunately,
the script, written by Jason Segal and director Nicholas Stoller, who
previously collaborated on the very funny Forgetting Sarah Marshall and last year’s charming revamp of The
Muppets, never digs deeper than
sitcom-level insights. Tom and Violet have a lot of long, serious talks about
the state of their relationship and plodding through these scenes with Mr. Segal
and Mrs. Blunt sometimes gives the viewer the uncanny feeling of actually being
a part of one of these insufferable conversations.
As it turns out, Tom and Violet learn that their love is not
necessarily as special or unique as they may have once thought. Many people
have gotten married before them and many more will get married after them. The
Five-Year Engagement effectively illustrates
this revelation by not being an especially unique or memorable romantic-comedy.
There are awkward wedding reception toasts, infidelities, break-ups and
make-ups, some Apple product placement and a few fine uses of Van Morrison’s
music. Assuming you follow the movie’s moral about settling for the
less-than-spectacular, you should be happy enough with this movie.
- Steve Avigliano, 4/29/12
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