'HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Actor Josh Radnor (most well known for staring in the popular TV sitcom 'HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER') makes his directing and writing debut with this indie film about a group of twenty-something New Yorkers coping with love and coming of age in the big city. Radnor plays the lead in the film and cast actors Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Hale and young newcomer Michael Algieri opposite him. The film won the 'Audience Award' at last year's Sundance Film Festival and has been dubbed 'this year's 'GARDEN STATE' by some. I don't think it deserves quite such high praise but it is a nice little character drama that's definitely amusing and emotionally involving at times.
Radnor plays struggling writer Sam, who as the movie opens witnesses a young foster child named Rasheen (Algieri) separated from his foster family on the subway. Against his better judgment he decides to take the boy home with him. He of course learns something more about himself and life in general through time spent with this young visitor. We also meet his best friend Annie (Akerman) who's constantly trying to find the right man but must deal with 'looks prejudice' due to her Alopecia condition (loss of hair) and a lack of confidence because of it. She's recently attracted the attention of a co-worker also named Sam (Hale) but she doesn't find him physically attractive (despite his great charm and amazing confidence). We meet Sam's cousin Mary Catherine (Kazan) as well. She's having relationship problems of her own of course with her boyfriend Charlie (Schreiber) who wants to move away. There's also a waitress / aspiring singer named Mississippi (Mara) who writer Sam becomes infatuated with after merely seeing her walking down the street.
The film is somewhat interesting and involving but it's also highly annoying at times. All of the characters are actually pretty childish, extremely superficial and depressingly self indulgent. They're believable though. It's sad that Annie wines and complains about her troubles finding a good man that will treat her with the respect she deserves and then when she finds him she wants nothing to do with him (because of his looks, which have been a problem for her as well). Akerman is extremely hot though and taking away her hair doesn't believably take much away from her striking beauty. The characters do learn and grow a little and the movie works on that level despite the pain it takes to get there. Radnor is likable and funny in the lead but I do think he tries a little too hard as an actor (his directing skills are impressive though). To me it seemed like he was attempting to imitate Zach Braff (and I thought that before I even heard the film's comparisons to 'GARDEN STATE'). The cast for the most part does a believable and adequate job though and Radnor definitely isn't bad. The soundtrack is outstanding and helps set the perfect mood for the material. All in all I'd say the film works and is a rewarding experience. It's a little painful getting through it but sometimes that's what good filmmaking is all about.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd0S1srQ9T8
Actor Josh Radnor (most well known for staring in the popular TV sitcom 'HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER') makes his directing and writing debut with this indie film about a group of twenty-something New Yorkers coping with love and coming of age in the big city. Radnor plays the lead in the film and cast actors Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Hale and young newcomer Michael Algieri opposite him. The film won the 'Audience Award' at last year's Sundance Film Festival and has been dubbed 'this year's 'GARDEN STATE' by some. I don't think it deserves quite such high praise but it is a nice little character drama that's definitely amusing and emotionally involving at times.
Radnor plays struggling writer Sam, who as the movie opens witnesses a young foster child named Rasheen (Algieri) separated from his foster family on the subway. Against his better judgment he decides to take the boy home with him. He of course learns something more about himself and life in general through time spent with this young visitor. We also meet his best friend Annie (Akerman) who's constantly trying to find the right man but must deal with 'looks prejudice' due to her Alopecia condition (loss of hair) and a lack of confidence because of it. She's recently attracted the attention of a co-worker also named Sam (Hale) but she doesn't find him physically attractive (despite his great charm and amazing confidence). We meet Sam's cousin Mary Catherine (Kazan) as well. She's having relationship problems of her own of course with her boyfriend Charlie (Schreiber) who wants to move away. There's also a waitress / aspiring singer named Mississippi (Mara) who writer Sam becomes infatuated with after merely seeing her walking down the street.
The film is somewhat interesting and involving but it's also highly annoying at times. All of the characters are actually pretty childish, extremely superficial and depressingly self indulgent. They're believable though. It's sad that Annie wines and complains about her troubles finding a good man that will treat her with the respect she deserves and then when she finds him she wants nothing to do with him (because of his looks, which have been a problem for her as well). Akerman is extremely hot though and taking away her hair doesn't believably take much away from her striking beauty. The characters do learn and grow a little and the movie works on that level despite the pain it takes to get there. Radnor is likable and funny in the lead but I do think he tries a little too hard as an actor (his directing skills are impressive though). To me it seemed like he was attempting to imitate Zach Braff (and I thought that before I even heard the film's comparisons to 'GARDEN STATE'). The cast for the most part does a believable and adequate job though and Radnor definitely isn't bad. The soundtrack is outstanding and helps set the perfect mood for the material. All in all I'd say the film works and is a rewarding experience. It's a little painful getting through it but sometimes that's what good filmmaking is all about.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd0S1srQ9T8