Blended (2014)

4/5

What bizarro universe have I entered where I suddenly find chick flicks to be genuinely good? Blended is another recent unexpected delight, a satisfying romantic comedy filled with humor and heart. It follows two single parents (Sandler, Barrymore) who unexpectedly fall in love during a trip to Africa focused on "blending" non-traditional families. It adds in parenting challenges and family values to a tired and predictable formula, but for some reason that does the trick. Blended is an absolutely wonderful experience.

To be honest, I pretty much hate all Adam Sandler movies without exception. Blended is the rule-breaker (just like Stranger Than Fiction was for Will Ferrell). This is not a Sandler "vehicle," and because of that he is fantastic in this movie as a regular dad struggling to raise three girls. Drew Barrymore is her same lovable self, which can certainly feel old and boring if you're not a fan, but it works for me. I love the film's perspective: kids come first 100% of the time. For some reason it really resonated with me, as I'm sure it will for a large number of its intended viewers. The movie has some great comedic one-liners (although it also has a good number of cringe-worthy moments that fall flat on their face) with a strong emotional tug. No, it's not particularly well-shot or tightly-edited, but it has a solid story and solid performances and that makes for solid entertainment.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086772/

Going the Distance (2010)

5/5

Going the Distance is an irreverent romantic comedy that will please those looking for raunchy laughs or sappy tearjerking. The plot follows Erin (Barrymore) and Garrett (Long), two people who fall in love one summer and find themselves fighting to survive in a long-distance relationship. Most romantic comedies work as follows: the two leads are stripped of any unique or interesting qualities so that nobody in the audience can find a fault with them (except maybe loving the other person too much) as the forces of the world tear them apart. But because the studios need to turn it into a comedy, they give the guy and the girl cohorts of friends with quirky senses of humor who are free to get a little more wild and risky. While this movie certainly has some unbelievable side characters (Day, Sudeikis, Applegate, Gaffigan), it doesn't dumb down the main characters into bland milquetoasts in the hopes that we will relate to and empathize with them. Going the Distance has characters that we care for because it takes the opposite tack. These people are real; they are vibrant and alive, imperfect, passionate, even distasteful at times. The decision to use off-screen couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long was without a doubt the correct one, because you can see their love for each other in every frame on the screen.

The acting is pitch-perfect. It makes the writing seem nonexistent. Everything they say just rolls off the actors' tongues in perfect harmony and synchrony with their body language. Drew Barrymore has just the right amount of sass to make her adorable and edgy without being annoying. Justin Long is far more charming and charismatic than I ever thought was possible. Charlie Day steals every single scene he is in, playing a character that is almost identical to his role in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (which I hope is almost identical to his personality in real life). Though the jokes are risky, they hit all the right notes at all the right times. The movie honestly shows emotions without glamorizing it or turning it into melodrama. It lets scenes play themselves out, whether filled with joy or despair. And despite some predictability, this movie is a near-perfect romantic comedy. I can't wait to watch it again.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322312/