Wanderlust (2012)

Director David Wain seems to thrive on excess. His films sit comfortably in the middle of the popular genre of “stupid comedy.” Yet his movies, though done well, never seem to become as popular as other examples of the ilk. For example, pretty much everyone I know has seen his Role Models and enjoyed it, but never talk about it or quote it like they do their other favorite comedies. I’m afraid Wanderlust is destined for the same treatment. It has a fun and potentially funny premise. A modern couple, Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston in their first pairing since Friends so many years ago, fail at their modern careers and move into a community wherein resides every hippie stereotype imaginable. At first, he thinks the situation is great and she resists, but ultimately she becomes a full-blown beatnik while he looks on in disgust. Watch as the two face one ridiculously awkward situation after another and their lives and marriage are tested.

Thinking about Wanderlust after the fact, it doesn’t seem like it should have failed. It is a very enjoyable movie and one that I believe I did enjoy, but certainly something went wrong. I think Wain is partly to blame. He has quite a talented cast at his disposal, as well as a decently written story. He never does find a tone that suits the material, though. Most of the film lives on the edge of parody, often poking fun at the very thing that makes itself endearing. There is flip-flopping love-hate relationship with the characters occupying the film, making it difficult to relate with any single one and also occasionally searing through the one-sided nature of the supporting cast, especially Justin Theroux’s obnoxious villain. Also, although there are moments that are genuinely funny, more of the humor falls flat than you would expect. When the film can’t find anything actually funny to laugh at, it falls back on standard drug jokes and unpleasant scenes involving elderly nudists. The parts that worked the best were actually the ones that were far too extravagant for their own good. Possibly the best moment is an apparently improvised bit with Rudd saying very crude things to a mirror, a moment that is much longer and much funnier than it should be. He laughs in the bloopers, “I’m grossing myself out!” I guess that’s the point.

The thing that does make the movie work, I think, is the fact that Rudd and Aniston work well together. So many romantic duos these days try to cover up a lack of chemistry with more jokes, but this movie doesn’t need to. Despite the predictability of the outcome of their relationship (Not even the infidelity brought on by practices of free love will keep these two apart.), we come very close to obtaining feelings for it. Even with a modern penchant for unnecessary crudity, there is something old-fashioned about the perkiness of this movie. It may be too immediate to be truly worthwhile, but I enjoyed the glow it possessed and so easily passed on to the audience. I can give this one a mild recommendation and mark it up as “nice try anyway.”

7/10