The Five-Year Engagement: "This Is Supposed To Be Exciting. This Is Your Wedding. You Only Get A Few Of These"

Director: Nicholas Stoller
Writer:    Jason Segel
               Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Jason Segel
               Emily Blunt
               Chris Pratt
               Alison Brie
               Rhys Ifans
               Kevin Hart
               Mindy Kaling
               Randall Park
               Brian Posehn
               Chris Parnell
Rating:    ****

Home Release: 29/10/2012

There haven't been many genuinly funny rom-coms this year, in fact any year for that matter. Thankfully, with Jason Segel co-writing the script and Judd Apatow producing, we now have the funniest rom-com of 2012. The perfect blend of slapstick, one liners and a brilliant leading couple (Segel & Blunt), help this film excel so well. They bring real heart to the proceedings, aswell as plenty of crude humour and belly laughs.

Emily Blunt & Jason Segel
It's not often we get to see Emily Blunt really let herself go, especially in a comedy setting like this one. Luckily she has a natural comedic flare and timing that she gets to really take advantage of in the movie. Violet is a brilliant female character (something Apatow isn't normally associated with), she's a psychology student with big dreams, and Blunt manages to provide the character with multiple layers.

Segel is just as fantastic as ever, bringing his dry wit and warm personality to the character of Tom with ease. The pairs first meeting, though riddled with cliches, is actually a really sweet and amusing one. Their relationship soon takes off, and as quick as a flash Tom is proposing to Violet against the backdrop of a starry sky. Of course their lives start to change and many obstacles are set in the way for the couple, meaning their wedding day gets postponed...by five years.
Rhys Ifans

It's not a groundbreaking story, and it certainly doesn't feel like a fresh idea; but what makes the film so brilliant is the charming characters, cracking one-liners and the genuine compassion you feel for our struggling couple.

I've already told you about how brilliant our stars are in the movie, but waht I havent spoken about is absolutely hilarious perfromances given by the supporting cast. The best man and maid of honour are the funniest characters in the film all thanks to the actors that portray them. Suzie (Brie) is Violet's sister and brings her superb comedic spark (thank you Community) to what should be a hateful character. She is selfish, ignorant and a comolete snob, and not even marrying Tom's care-free best man Alex (Pratt) can loosen her up. What is so strange, is that these two polar opposite characters work so fantastically together, which is completely down to the actors comedic abilities and perfect chemistry.
Alison Brie & Chris Pratt

Even the film's 'villain' manages to bring plenty of laughs to the screen; especially his and Tom's 'fight'. Professor Winton Childs (Ifans) is Violet's tutor, and when things start to get a bit to close for comfot between the pair, Tom and Violet's relationship starts to crumble; leaving the five-year engagement in severe jeopardy.

Sure the script is pretty predictable, and you aren't going to experience anything new when watching it, but somehow it has turned out to be a funny and entertaining movie. I personally think this is all down to the impecable casting with Segel, Blunt, Pratt and Brie really excelling. All you have to do is watch the two ladies handle the Sesame Street argument with such ease to know you are watching comedy gold. Admittedly, this wedding based film cannot compete with Bridesmaids (but then what film can), but it is still wickedly funny and extremely heartwarming; which is all you really need in a film, right?

 
The Five-Year Engagement - Red Band Trailer

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