This one begins way back in July when I saw Michael Cera in Ann Arbor shooting his new movie. Oh yeah, I stalked that movie set and after about 20 minutes of waiting, I saw him run to the corner adjacent to where I was standing. This is irrelevant, I just wanted to let it be known.
So basic plot outline: Boy in a band (Michael Cera) gets his heart broken by a tiny blonde chick. He ends up going to play a concert with his gay band mates, and meets Nora (Kat Dennings) who uses him as a "Five Minute Boyfriend" in order to make one of her school enemies jealous. Turns out, that school enemy is the exact girl who dumped Cera scenes previous. It's all very intertwined. How does the playlist become "infinite"? Well, Nora's drunk ass friend--who is hilarious--gets lost at the concert and ends up wandering New York City all alone and wasted. Nora + Gay Boy Band + Nick have to find her, all the while trying to get to a secret show by a band called "Where's Fluffy?" There's some love, there's some humor, there's a lot of dark lipstick, there are a lot of classically drunk moments brought to us by Ari Graynor, who just steals the scenes she's in.
Here's my issue: yet again, there were inconsistent moments. For example, near the end of the movie, Nick and Nora are walking down the street talking to each other and then ALL OF A SUDDEN they're sitting down talking. THEN back to walking and talking. It's extremely odd. My cousin and I both looked at each other like, wtf? In addition to that inconsistency, I have to say that I tend to have the following issue with many teen dramas: If two characters are going to fall in love or at least realize that they've found their counterparts in one another, then I need to see some damn good chemistry to back that shit up. I tend to hate Kat Dennings with a passion, mostly because she annoys the shit out of me with her dark lipstick, but also because she never opens her mouth all of the way. She's a weird actress in that she's always playing the same role: intelligent, off-beat, emo chick who is also kinky sexual, but only on an unsuspecting level. Not to say that Michael Cera can hit all kinds of ranges, because we all know he can't. He's been the same character ever since "Arrested Development" and that has just parlayed him into this role as well. He's the nerd-next-door, with intelligent wit, skinny legs and the ability to charm your pants off (oh yes, pants are always coming off for him). He's given this character a profitable niche in Hollywood. Even when I saw him running to the corner in Ann Arbor on his new film set, I could just tell, he's that same character. And that's great for now, ya know, whatever pays the bills, but when he's 50, if I see him being that nerdy love interest STILL, I'll barf in the aisles. I have to say though, good for him for finding an acting career, because without it, he might never have gotten any. He'd be stuck behind a desk at an IT office like the rest of nerdy America.
The drunk girl, Ari Graynor, is just phenomenal as a drunk. And we've all been there. Drunk off your ass, wandering around, looking for your friends, telling people too much information about yourself. She must have been hitting the sauce before her scenes because she just pulls it off brilliantly. And everybody loves the drunk girl. I'd say see the movie just for her.
See it, good music. Band of Horses, even. Although, I've taken them off of the "indie" list ever since they appeared on MTV's "I'm with Rolling Stone." MTV is considered selling out, right? I did love them on that show though--or rather, I loved the kid that interviewed them. Either way, they're featured in the flick.
Highlights:
1) The music
2) Ari Graynor
3) Rafi Gavron and Aaron Yoo--Love them as the gay band mates
4) Nick's car. Walking to the parking lot after the movie, we totally saw the same car parked next to us. It was an amazing movie moment.
5) One very sincere, very moving, very awesome Beatles reference
Speaking of which. I have this theory that most movies you watch have a Beatles reference embedded somewhere within them. It's either a covered song, a mention of their name, a look alike, a time period reference, or just a flat out homage. I love it. I watch for these things and I take extra special note of them. Love my boys.
Lowlights:
1) Kat Dennings (puke)
2) Inconsistencies (millions and millions of dollars go into making movies, I think they can make sure they're edited properly for god's sake)
3) The two hottest boys being gay
4) The fact that we never hear "Where's Fluffy?"'s music because they're obviously fictional.
I have to get in the car and drive 2 hours back to San Diego now...
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