Director: Nicholas Stoller
Cast: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rhys Ifans, Jacki Weaver
Rating: (M)
4 stars (out of 5)
It has been ruthlessly exploiting this for what feels like forever turning out profitable wedding-themed fluff.
The Five-Year Engagement (Rialto and Hoyts) presents itself as raunchier and more real than that but in the end it all boils down to this: Do the actors playing the couple sparkle together?
It was touch and go for a while.
Tom (Jason Segel) is a chef who proposes to his girlfriend Violet (Emily Blunt) exactly a year after they met on New Year's Eve. It all seems peachy until circumstances keep putting obstacles in the way of them actually tying the knot.
At first, Tom's doughy charms and nice but dim persona make it hard to figure out why beautiful and smart Violet would even give him the time of day. However, as time goes on and career disappointments slightly unhinge Tom we learn that he is smarter and nastier than he first appears and by the end we want Tom and Violet to get that happy-ever-after moment that they have been planning for so long.
Best thing: A lot of thought and care has gone into this so at the end there are no fudged motivations, you understand why these two are together.
Worst thing: Sure Jason Segel's pasty, chubby nude body is funny but he has to stop flaunting it for an easy laugh - some of us are eating.
See it with: Your wedding planner to soften her up for the big news that you intend to elope.
- By Christine Powley
