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Vol. LXII, No. 41
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Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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Vol. LXII, No. 41
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Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.
LOVE IN BLOOM: Nick (Michael Cera, right) unexpectedly finds himself spending a long evening with Norah (Kat Dennings) when he impulsively agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. They quickly discover that they both love the music of a new group called “Where’s Fluffy,” and while spending the evening searching for the band, they fall in love with each other. |
How long will Michael Cera be able to continue playing the vulnerable, overly sensitive loser we saw in Juno and Superbad? Probably until his baby face loses its angelic air of innocence. Meanwhile, he remains the ideal actor to play the nice guy opposite a savvy female lead, a role he reprises to perfection in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Unfolding mostly in New York City over the course of one very eventful evening, this tenderhearted movie, that is based on Rachel Cohn and David Levithan’s novel of the same name, asks one simple question: Can love blossom between a couple of kids from Jersey who are on the rebound from broken relationships while they’re careening around town in a yellow Yugo?
At the opening of the film, we meet Nick (Cera), a high school senior who is the bassist for a punk rock group and is planning to attend Berklee School of Music after graduation. Sadly, he’s depressed because he was dumped on his birthday a month ago by his girlfriend, Tris (Alexis Dziena), a two-timer who’s left him for Gary (Zachary Booth).
Inconsolable, Nick spends most of his free time daydreaming about how to get back together with his former girlfriend. He leaves her long messages on her cell phone and makes her CD mixes of songs that she promptly tosses into the trash. Hoping to shake him out of the doldrums, his band mates book a gig in a dive in lower Manhattan.
His former girlfriend Tris is in the audience that evening and teases her girlfriend Norah (Kat Dennings) about being alone. Norah, who is tired of her relationship with a shallow social climber (Jay Baruchel), impulsively announces that she already has a new beau. She then marches up to Nick as he comes offstage, and whispers, “Will you be my boyfriend for five minutes?” in his ear and gives him a kiss on the lips.
Dumbfounded, he goes along with the ruse, a charade which ends up lasting until four in the morning. They soon discover that they both appreciate “Where’s Fluffy,” an up-and-coming band rumored to be playing an impromptu set somewhere in the city that very night. They slowly get to know each other during their search for the elusive group. Along the way, they become involved in a car crash, find a lost friend (Ari Graynor), and become involved in many other comedic situations.
Very Good (three stars). Rated PG-13 for mature themes, teen sexuality, underage alcohol abuse, profanity, and crude behavior. Running time: 89 minutes. Studio: Columbia Pictures.
For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.