"Wanderlust", Rated "R" for Adult Situations, Profanity, Adult Humor, Sexual Dialog, Graphic Nudity & Mild Violence. Running Time: 1hr&38mns.
My Take: ** (Out of ****) -or- 6/10 on the IMDb scale
I love my friend Lisa. She's a sweet girl who's always been searching for herself. She's spent a lot of time traveling and studying other cultures and philosophies. I remember corresponding with her when she lived in the woods at a commune in Florida. That's been quite awhile back. Last I knew, she wants to conceive a "shaman baby" that will grow up to be a great spiritual leader and teacher.
I couldn't help but think of Lisa as I watched "Wanderlust," the latest Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston date comedy. In addition to Lisa, there were many characters in the movie that I could totally relate to. That is what struck me the most: all the people in the movie that reminded me of many souls I've met over the years and still hold friendships with to this very day. "Wanderlust" overflows with "Lisas." In the opposite end of the spectrum, is a materialistic character of great independent wealth with his dissatisfied trophy wife. Wow, do I know my fair share of these guys in real life too. These self-employed businessmen may have it made financially though they might not be happy. I am also sure many do not know what they really want.
The film opens with the forty-something yuppie-wannabe couple George (Rudd, "I Love You Man") and Linda (Aniston, "The Bounty Hunter"), who are trying to make it in New York City. They purchased an overpriced micro-sized apartment believing, no, hoping this is the world for them. They want to be self-sustaining and successful. After George's employer goes bankrupt, he finds himself out of work. Linda's documentary pitch to HBO also didn't pan out. Down and out in today's economy, things look really grim.
George's self-serving brother Rick (Ken Marino, "Californication") offers to take George and Linda into his over-sized Georgia home and give George a job. On their way, George and Linda take lodging at Elysium, a free-spirited commune off the beaten path. It is here, George and Linda encounter a variety of kind, yet eccentrically open souls. George and Linda enjoyed their Elysium stay. They are welcomed by those who dwell there to live with them, but they decide to continue on their way to George's brother's place.
When the couple finally makes it to Rick's enormous home, they see firsthand what a miserable life Rick leads. He's arrogant, condescending and adulterous. His bored wife Marissa (Michaela Watkins, "Enlightened") is perpetually boozed-up to help her cope with loneliness and a virtual non-existence. Deciding to leave it all behind, George and Linda elect to move into the Elysium commune.
What we get here is the "fish out of water" story. There are some funny bits about George and Linda trying to grasp the concepts of "free-spiritedness." Alan Alda ("Tower Heist") is great as the former hippie Carvin who helped to buy this property in 1971. A lifetime of being free of society's materialism and regular "overindulgences" have helped Calvin to remain as the gentle being that he is.
Probably one of the most memorable characters in the movie is Wayne (Joe Lo Truglio, "Role Models"). He is a nudist vintner who likes to write novels and screenplays. It doesn't matter if the material he writes is boring and mundane. He's a happy camper no matter what. His first on-screen appearance is what will stand out for most people.
The sultry Eva (Malin Akerman, "Watchmen") is all-about a free-love encounter with the married George. Meanwhile the maniacal Seth (Justin Theroux, "Your Highness") has designs of his own in store for Linda and the fate of the commune.
There is an earnest sappiness about those living at Elysium. Each character exhibits a strong dislike and mistrust of the world outside. They are perfectly content with themselves and their spiritual journeys. For them, there is no other way to live. These characters are rather chipper and, unfortunately, contrived. Maybe that's why I'm giving this movie a mediocre review.
I felt the subject of a yuppie couple moving to a rural commune was ripe for a comedic ribbing. After all, the stories I've heard about what goes on in these places, including how genuine and dear the people who reside in them are, would lend to a very interesting and very humorous movie. However, in the case of "Wanderlust," I couldn't help but feel that the characters on the screen are fairly stereotypical ones. They were one-dimensional "cookie-cutter" weirdos, so to speak. Sure, there were some funny bits in this picture, but not enough for me to recommend it. Where were the big laughs? This kind of "fish out of water" story should have been "off the hook" with side-splitting laughs. Why weren't they there?
"Wanderlust" was directed by David Wain, who also did the much funnier film "Role Models" (2008). The cast features some of the usual actors that appear in the Judd Apatow ("The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Superbad") "potty-mouth" comedies of the last decade. All the makings for a great over-the-top comedy seemed to be in place for "Wanderlust," but the film ultimately feels a little tame to me. With this much talent involved, there's no excuse for "Wanderlust" to be as pedestrian as it is.
"Wanderlust" is an okay film with likable folks. It aspires to be more than what it is and it shows. I hope the topic of communal free-spirited living will be revisited someday by filmmakers willing to do something daring and outrageously funny with the material. Hopefully those filmmakers would have enough sense to talk to Lisa. Man, does she have some great stories. Now any one of those tales would be "infinitely" funnier than what this movie was.
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