Childhood sweethearts Celeste and Jesse promised each other they would be together forever, but after six years of marriage they call it quits. But they never really plan to move on with their lives as Jesse just moves out to the studio in the backyard of their L.A. house and they still share all their meals together. Their hang out together just like before and when they insist on carrying on with their adolescent humor whilst out one night with mutual friends it is clear that not much has changed at all, which is something that really irritates all the other people in their lives.
Celeste is a high-powered and dynamic partner in a leading Trend Forecasting Company and she’s just launching her first book, the aptly named ‘Shitegiest’, whilst Jesse is an unmotivated artist who has trouble finishing any pieces and is happy enough to just drift along Eventually Celeste is persuaded that she should start dating again so that she can move her life forward, but it is in fact lazy Jesse that accidentally cuts a break and finds himself involved with another woman.
This rather quirky romantic comic story was obviously intended
to be in the vein of an Hollywood screwball comedy where marriages always went through rough patches, although in this modern age, the gender roles are swapped around. And as Rashida Jones who played Celeste was one of the authors too, it seemed only fair she wrote herself such a strong female part. And for her best buddy/confidante she had Scott her gay business partner played by a very cute Elijah Wood who Manohla Dargis (NY TIMES ) oddly described as being butcher than Eve Arden, which I thought was an impossible feat….but I digress.
to be in the vein of an Hollywood screwball comedy where marriages always went through rough patches, although in this modern age, the gender roles are swapped around. And as Rashida Jones who played Celeste was one of the authors too, it seemed only fair she wrote herself such a strong female part. And for her best buddy/confidante she had Scott her gay business partner played by a very cute Elijah Wood who Manohla Dargis (NY TIMES ) oddly described as being butcher than Eve Arden, which I thought was an impossible feat….but I digress.
Miss Jones’s screen partner in this romp was Andy Samberg (‘Saturday Night Live’) an unlikely choice but nevertheless a perfect one as their chemistry showed, and together they made the movie really touching and consistently funny.
If there is a hint of hesitation in my praise at all, its only because Celeste wanted to have her cake and eat it, and there were a couple of occasions I could have easily slapped her on the legs for just that!
Labels: 2010, indie, romantic comedy, Sundance
