Unlike many here, I had never heard of Adam Carolla before I happened on this movie.
I liked it. Yeah, it's a little formula. But it does the formula well. Would it have worked as a big-budget Hollywood rom-com? Who cares? The home movie feel of it is a character in its own right. The performances are all good, the main plot is brilliant (stand-up who's so-so on-stage but hilarious in real life; good set-up for a portrait of a guy busting his head to make it in show-biz), and Howie Mandel kills as himself in a bit part that's simultaneously reality-TV immediate and probably not him at all.
Bottom line: this guy did good with what he had. It's watchable. You'll wish the character well. You'll understand his predicament. You'll be glad you rode along on his roller-coaster.
I liked it. Yeah, it's a little formula. But it does the formula well. Would it have worked as a big-budget Hollywood rom-com? Who cares? The home movie feel of it is a character in its own right. The performances are all good, the main plot is brilliant (stand-up who's so-so on-stage but hilarious in real life; good set-up for a portrait of a guy busting his head to make it in show-biz), and Howie Mandel kills as himself in a bit part that's simultaneously reality-TV immediate and probably not him at all.
Bottom line: this guy did good with what he had. It's watchable. You'll wish the character well. You'll understand his predicament. You'll be glad you rode along on his roller-coaster.