'WANDERLUST': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Filmmaker David Wain and actor Paul Rudd reteam (after working together on the 2001 cult classic comedy 'WET HOT American SUMMER' and the 2008 comedy hit 'ROLE MODELS') for this 'Free Love' culture clash comedy. It co-stars Jennifer Aniston (which is also a reteaming with Rudd, after working together on 'FRIENDS' for several episodes as well as the 1998 comedy 'OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION') as well as a large ensemble cast including Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Alan Alda and Ken Marino (who also co-wrote the film with the director, Wain). The story focuses on a married couple hit with hard times because of the economy who decides to try living at a rural 'hippy' commune. The movie is funny, thanks to great efforts from the entire cast and Wain's directing, but the script could have used a little more work.
Rudd plays George, a recently unemployed financial firm executive, and Aniston plays his wife Linda, who had been working on a documentary about the shocking truth of penguin sexual habits (a real documentary with similar subject matter recently made headlines) which was rejected by HBO. They decide to move in with George's brother Rick (Marino) and his wife Marisa (Michaela Watkins) in Georgia, where Rick offered George a job, but after his brother drives them insane they decide to pack up and move again. They return to the bed and breakfast they stopped at on the way because they had such a good time with the 'free love' residents there and decide to throw their conventional lifestyle away for a new experimental life at the commune. Once they've stayed there for a little while though life there begins to drive them crazy as well.
The movie is quite funny at times and not so funny at others but it's never dull. The characters, for the most part, are all enjoyable and or likable and the performances are all more than adequate as well. Rudd is in his usual top form and it's nice to see Aniston trying something a little different, which is what she's always best at. Alda is hilarious and Justin Theroux, in my opinion, steals the show; he has some of the best line delivery I've seen in a comedy this year. The movie does leave you wanting a little more, there was potential for the filmmakers to deliver something really good here, but it's still a decent enough comedy that's definitely worth a watch in my opinion.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVtbIzK8ZjQ
Filmmaker David Wain and actor Paul Rudd reteam (after working together on the 2001 cult classic comedy 'WET HOT American SUMMER' and the 2008 comedy hit 'ROLE MODELS') for this 'Free Love' culture clash comedy. It co-stars Jennifer Aniston (which is also a reteaming with Rudd, after working together on 'FRIENDS' for several episodes as well as the 1998 comedy 'OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION') as well as a large ensemble cast including Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Alan Alda and Ken Marino (who also co-wrote the film with the director, Wain). The story focuses on a married couple hit with hard times because of the economy who decides to try living at a rural 'hippy' commune. The movie is funny, thanks to great efforts from the entire cast and Wain's directing, but the script could have used a little more work.
Rudd plays George, a recently unemployed financial firm executive, and Aniston plays his wife Linda, who had been working on a documentary about the shocking truth of penguin sexual habits (a real documentary with similar subject matter recently made headlines) which was rejected by HBO. They decide to move in with George's brother Rick (Marino) and his wife Marisa (Michaela Watkins) in Georgia, where Rick offered George a job, but after his brother drives them insane they decide to pack up and move again. They return to the bed and breakfast they stopped at on the way because they had such a good time with the 'free love' residents there and decide to throw their conventional lifestyle away for a new experimental life at the commune. Once they've stayed there for a little while though life there begins to drive them crazy as well.
The movie is quite funny at times and not so funny at others but it's never dull. The characters, for the most part, are all enjoyable and or likable and the performances are all more than adequate as well. Rudd is in his usual top form and it's nice to see Aniston trying something a little different, which is what she's always best at. Alda is hilarious and Justin Theroux, in my opinion, steals the show; he has some of the best line delivery I've seen in a comedy this year. The movie does leave you wanting a little more, there was potential for the filmmakers to deliver something really good here, but it's still a decent enough comedy that's definitely worth a watch in my opinion.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVtbIzK8ZjQ