The Five Year Engagement Review

So it's Saturday night and you know what that means right? That's right.. Ladies night! Ok I guess not really but it turned into date night for me, which is great.  What was our movie of choice? As I'm sure you have guessed from the poster and title of this post we went and checked out the newest offering from Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, The Five Year Engagement.   This was completely and 100% a wise decision.  So where to start with this review, I suppose the cast is as good a place as any. We shall start with Emily Blunt; I can't honestly say that before tonight I was a big fan of hers, I had seen a few of her movies but she had never really stood out for me. In this she shines, not only is she absolutely adorable but she is for the most part sweet, likable, and has an irresistible British accent which is so charming you can't help but want to hug her.  Then we have Jason Segel, possibly the most consistently funny lead man in Hollywood right now.  The guy can't seem to miss and it seems that every character he plays I find entirely too many ways to relate to.  The Five Year Engagement is no exception, he is so at the top of this game in this movie that he takes the role to the point where no other actor could have played the role (and isn't that what a great actor should do?)  He seems to carry a movie in a way that is effortless in the best way possible and is enjoyable as always to watch.

The story is what the trailer makes it to be, no big plot twists or brain teasers her. Tom and Violet are in love, get engaged and then life postpones their wedding repeatedly for about 5 years.  I don't think you go into this movie look for the Christopher Nolan type of brain rattling plot so don't take the lack of major plot surprises as a negative.  The story is so well written that the humor keeps you in the movie regardless.  You actually find yourself getting bummed when the next hurdle gets thrown at these two love birds pushing back their indoctrination day but the writing and the delivery from the actors keeps you from dwelling on whatever negativity is in the movie.  I wrote a review way back when about another film of Segel's, I Love You Man, where I made the statement that it is a perfect date movie because you are watching a romantic comedy, but the comedy is so ridiculously funny that even the most manly of the manly men should find themselves laughing from start to finish during this movie.

I would also like to point out Brian Posehn's performance in The Five Year Engagement.  Posehn is, in my opinion, one of the funniest comedians out there today.  Bottom line is you do not see him in enough movies, to my extreme pleasure I couldn't have been more thrilled when he appeared on the screen in front of me.  Sure he has a relatively small role in the movie but he makes his screen time count, he is totally memorable and I left the theater thinking about the movie and being most pleased by some of his bits (especially his gagging scene).  Posehn has been around for some time now, I hope that this movie can do for him what movies like Knocked Up and 40 Year Old Vrigin did for Jonnah Hill.