Happythankyoumoreplease

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A twenty-something slacker (Josh Radnor) finds a lost kid (Michael Algieri) on the subway, takes him home, and separately, all his friends fall in love.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Josh Radnor, Malin Akerman, Michael Algieri, Zoe Kazan, Kate Mara, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Hale, Peter Scanavino, Richard Jenkins

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's one of those sweet and slightly quirky indy darlings that's easy to love because it pretends to be edgy, without actually being deep or angry enough to turn any viewers off.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some legitimately quirky moments of dialogue.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you believe in love it might, because men will say absolutely anything to get laid, and they won't mean any of it in the morning.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won the Audience Award at Sundance, so obviously it's better than I think it is. Or maybe, when people are at Sundance, they get caught in a storm of pretentious movie mediocrity, and in order to survive, grow a pair of "Sundance Goggles," where they become so intoxicated by the energy of being in the same room as bigwigs and pretending they can afford to be there, that suddenly, really average movies starts to look like models.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Josh Radnor demonstrates why he is the star of a hit sitcom. Malin Akerman is one of my favorites in everything, and Zoe Kazan is as interesting an actress as Kate Mara is bland.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: If Josh Radnor did one thing right, it was to cast only men who are less attractive than he is, making himself look comparatively studly... Oh, and he also proves that Zack Braff isn't the only schlubby, neurotic sitcom lead who can direct a decent indy film about aimless twenty-somethings trying not to get their hearts broken.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The dialogue is cute enough to trick you into thinking Josh Radnor writes his own words on How I Met Your Mother, but the romantic storylines feel like they've been done in every indy rom-com ever made. The one saving grace is the story about taking home a stray kid, but that ends up feeling secondary to the romance, and ultimately, the kid doesn't really cause the guy who takes him in to change in a memorable way.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Many of you will love the indy soundtrack, easily sampled in the trailer.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Happythankyoumoreplease Trailer

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The Freebie

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The most happily married couple in the world decides that to spice up their sex life, they should each have a one night stand.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dax Shepard, Katie Aselton, Frankie Shaw, Ross Partridge, Bellamy Young

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's short, (bitter)sweet, and to the point.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The cute couple's cute banter would be incredibly funny if you were in the cute relationship. But it's a lot less so for those of us that aren't, which includes everyone. This should serve as a good reminder that all your cute little couple's jokes are really only funny to you, so don't expect me to laugh when you try to explain them to me.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Cheating, even with permission, is a very bad idea. Does that make you cry?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This is a truly indy film that deserves to steal some indy film awards away from all those "indy" movies with big stars and name directors, whose budgets are higher than what most people will make in their whole lives.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I liked Katie Aselton in The Puffy Chair but I loved her in this. And while Dax Shepard can't hold a candle to her, this is a great opportunity for him to showcase his acting in a non-goofball role.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Katie Aselton also directs. She uses the classic indy style of a loose, vaguely swaying camera, along with the very modern zooms in and out, which used to be considered a directing faux-pas, but ever since the rise of digital cameras has become known as a way of saying, "Hey, look how hip I am." It's all been done before, but it serves her purpose nicely here.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is told out of order, once in a while, so you find out how it's going to turn, long before it happens. The shift in the time line is used here to create tension in scenes that would otherwise feel redundant and banal. That said, I could've done without some of the happy couple montages. We immediately get that they're happy, so the montages end up seeming like filler trying to lengthen the film to a feature theatrical running time.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Not about the movie, but for those of you who've wondered why I've slacked so much over that last couple of weeks, I did not quit movie blogging, I was on vacation for the first time since I started this site. I'm back though, so check back often, as awards season is upon us, which means lots of movies will be watched.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-freebie/10024214/trailers

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Role Models

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A couple of energy drink promoters (Seann William Scott & Paul Rudd) have a very bad day that leads to them getting in trouble with the law. Now they have to choose between jail time and community service as “Big Brothers” to children in need. They go for the kids.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch, Kerri Kenney, Ken Marino, A.D. Miles, Ken Jeong, Nicole Randall Johnson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It’s a good reminder of how when you’re feeling down, spending quality time with even the worst of kids will raise your spirits back up. And even though the movie isn’t nearly as deep as that sentence, it’ll still make you laugh. A lot.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you’re open to that sort of thing. And I’d like to give the movie credit for not trying to steal laughs by having anyone walk into a wall, fart, or get bit by an animal.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It’s not that good.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Like I said, it’s not that good.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The casting is perfect. Seann William Scott gives one of his most grounded comedic performances to date (see Road Trip and American Pie 3 for examples of him not being grounded.) Jane Lynch’s schtick is put to perfect use in the role of an ex-coke addict turned do-gooder... kind of. Kerri Kenney expands nicely on the talent she’s established in Reno 911. And 12-year-old Bobb’e J. Thompson is so natural spouting out swear-words that you almost wonder if he was weaned on them instead of milk.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Wain has really made great strides since Wet Hot American Summer.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Mostly it’s a good time. Emotionally it could be a little deeper, both in the beginning of the second act and in the beginning of the third act. But the funny is there.

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