Justin Long and and Jess Weixler play Scott and Kristin, a newlywed couple whose plans for a honeymoon are shattered when the best man Lumpy (Tyler Labine) dies. As they plan his funeral they discover that he had been having a close friendship with a fifteen year old girl, Ramsey (Addison Timlin) and they soon come to realize the depth of his caring nature as they uncover that harsh conditions in which Ramsey is living.
This is billed as a comedy drama but it’s really not a comedy at all. As an aside, it’s a pet peeve of mine when films are listed as comedies when they blatantly aren’t. There’s nothing in the premise or the actual plot of the movie that’s played for comedic effect. Sure, there are a few amusing moments but in no way should this be classed as a comedy. If you go in expecting it to be a laugh-a-minute thing then you will be disappointed. What you will find, however, is a decent film about sincerity and what truly matters in life. Although Lumpy dies early on, we’re get to know his character through flashbacks and Labine does an excellent job of forming an attachment with the audience even though he doesn’t have much screen time.
There are a couple of things about the film I didn’t enjoy. Firstly I don’t think that the married couple felt genuine. To me, there never seemed any evidence as to how they got to the stage where the wanted to marry each other. They seemed to always irritate each other and they lied to each other and just seemed to generally aggravate each other. I’m sure there are probably couples like that in real life but there weren’t any moments where I believed they were genuinely in love. Perhaps this isn’t such a big deal because the film isn’t focused on their relationship, but it irked me.
Secondly, even though it’s only 90 minutes long it does drag in the middle and it feels ponderous. The last fifteen-twenty minutes makes it worthwhile though. However, there’s one scene that ties up the plot, and it feels very out of place because it references a scene from the beginning of the movie that really had no other place. So if you weren’t paying attention you’ll be utterly confused by it.
All in all it’s decent and there’s a fair amount of substance. I liked Timlin’s performance as Ramsey, especially towards the end, and it’s quite interesting to see the layers of Lumpy peeled away as the film goes on. I wouldn’t say you have to watch this movie, but I don’t feel like I wasted my time watching it.
