The 5 Year Engagement

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
The 5 Year Engagement
Released 4/27/12, now in theaters

As a whole, with few exceptions, I think rom coms are a blight on humanity.  However, The 5 Year Engagement intrigued me.  Since Jennifer Lopez and Katherine Heigl weren't starring, it has one thing going for it.  The other thing it has going for it was star, Jason Segel (Marshall from How I Met Your Mother), who has a penchant for starring in sweet at its core but bent comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Bad Teacher.  The film has also been spit out of the Judd Apatow comedy machine that has produced Bridesmaids and the 40 Year Old Virgin. 


The movie follows the trials and tribulations of young couple, Tom Solomon (Segel) and his girlfriend/fiancé, Violet Barnes (Emily Blunt).  Tom is a sous chef for a high class San Francisco restaurant.  Violet is a Psychology graduate who I'm not sure is actually employed at the beginning.  The characters meet  at a "Make Your Own Super Hero"-themed New Year's Eve party a year ago which is revealed through several flashbacks.  Tom proposes as the movie begins.  After Violet accepts, the trouble soon begins. Violet receives the opportunity of a lifetime to be part of a psychological research group at a prominent university.  The problem?  It's the University of Michigan.  The couple decide to move to Michigan so Violet can follow her dream.  Shortly after residing in Michigan, Tom soon learns this ain't San Francisco!  Among the many obstacles the couple must try to overcome are Violet's amorous boss, Tom's adventures becoming a modern day Grizzly Adams, and the inevitable break up that is a staple in all movies in this genre.  And, of course, the movie lives up to its name as the lunacy lasts for...wait for it...five years!

By my last statements, you might think that I didn't like the movie.  Not true.  It had enough slapstick and the usual Apatow raunchiness to overcome the rom com clichés which are also prominent.  It has heart and you will root for Tom and Violet to finally get it right.  The film is a little overlong clocking in at over two hours.  Unlike the Apatow produced classic, Bridesmaids, from 2011, The 5 Year Engagement doesn't maintain its hilarity throughout.  It is funny, just not hurt yourself laughing funny.  Segel and Blunt are believable and likable in their roles.  They have nice chemistry.  There are funny supporting performances along the way from Kevin Hart as one of Violet's colleagues and Chris Parnell as Tom's weird sweater wearing, deer hunting friend in Michigan.  The scene between Violet and her sister arguing in the voices of Cookie Monster and Elmo is a laugh out loud moment that is very clever in its execution.

My overall feeling is The 5 Year Engagement is a good movie that will engage and amuse.  It has enough bite to keep it from being overly sappy but, in the end, you're still watching a romantic comedy that pretty much follows the same formula as they all do. 

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

*** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.