Young New Yorkers Seek Greater Self-Awareness in Josh Radnor's Happythankyoumoreplease

My friend Dan is in town this week, and that always means a movie night or two. This time around, we headed for the video store with no clear idea of what we wanted to rent, and after half an hour or so of uninspired browsing, we finally decided to take a chance on 2010’s Happythankyoumoreplease, whose screenplay had received praise on a blog he reads. I’m glad we did. Written and directed by How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor, who also stars, this movie with the rather cumbersome title is a gem of an indie about late 20-somethings in New York City trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the world.

Radnor is Sam Wexler, a scruffy struggling novelist burdened with an idyllic childhood that’s left him insufficiently angsty. In addition to his lack of personal tragedy, he suffers from reluctance to commit that carries over into his writing. His short stories are brilliant, but sustaining one character for hundreds of pages proves a problem. Then something – or rather someone – comes along to challenge his M.O. On the subway ride to another meeting with an editor, he sees Rasheen (Michael Algieri), a young dark-skinned boy with a sullen, silent face, fail to get off with his family.

Moved in spite of himself, he takes the boy under his wing, only to eventually discover that the separation was intentional and that he is trying to escape from an abusive foster care situation. He knows he should turn Rasheen over to police, but the boy seems to need him, and he likes feeling so valued for a change. His discovery of Rasheen’s raw artistic talent furthers his reluctance to release him to a system that seems to have failed him.

During their first day together, Sam and Rasheen come into contact with three important people. One is Mississippi (Kate Mara), a bartender and cabaret singer who catches Sam’s eye. Neither has the best history of romantic relationships, but each is clearly interested in the other, and Sam proposes an unusual way to get to know each other.

Another is Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan), a short, fiery friend of Sam’s from way back who is anxious to express her disapproval for his life choices. She is about to face a major decision of her own as her boyfriend, Charlie (Pablo Schreiber), returns home from a business trip and announces his intention to move to L.A. Can she follow the man she loves if it means giving up the places and people that have meant home to her for so long?

The third major character we meet here is Sam’s best friend Annie (Malin Akerman), a woman whose lifelong lack of hair has left her fragile and convinced that she is unworthy of genuine romantic love. Despite her history of being hurt by insensitive cads, there is a radiance to her countenance reflecting a strength of spirit no one can take from her. The depth of friendship she and Sam share is touching, though I found myself wondering why two people who care so deeply for each other never became romantically involved, an issue one of the deleted scenes addresses but never answers. Into Annie’s world steps another Sam, a coworker played by Tony Hale, who I know as Chuck’s deliciously irritating Emmett Milbarge. Sam #2, as he comes to call himself, admires Annie with an unsettling intensity, and the question of whether he is a creep or merely an unconventional suitor becomes one of the most intriguing of the movie.

All of the performances are excellent, from the somber quietude of young Algieri, making his film debut, to the dazed confusion of Radnor as a man who seems to be almost sleepwalking through life. Akerman’s gentle joy is mesmerizing, and Hale left the longest lingering impression on me. In addition to the actors, singer-songwriter Jaymay has a strong presence in the film through her folksy, acoustic songs, most of which manage to sound cheerful and melancholy all at once. This is particularly true when she harmonizes with herself, producing a sound that puts me in mind of my favorite duo, Simon and Garfunkel. Her sprightly melodies and pensive lyrics enhance many of the film’s scenes, and I’m glad the DVD includes a short featurette focusing on her role in the film. In fact, no sooner was the DVD out of the machine than I started searching YouTube for her music.

This movie is rated R for its adult language and situations. Mostly, that means a lot of bedroom scenes, though nothing really explicit, and a liberal sprinkling of a certain word beginning with the letter “f.” If it weren’t for that particular word’s use, I really see no reason why this couldn’t have been PG-13. While it mostly made me roll my eyes, I must admit I got a chuckle out of Sam’s outbursts in the company of Rasheen, to which he immediately adds the admonition, “Don’t swear.” It’s an oddly sweet demonstration of his struggle to make a change in how he relates to the world.

I’d never heard of this movie before last night, and if hadn’t been for our trip to the video store, I don’t know if it ever would have caught my eye. While I didn’t have any negative expectations going into it, I didn’t expect to find the film so moving. I’m happy I watched it, so thank you to Dan for suggesting it, and to Josh Radnor, I will simply say, “More, please!”

The Proposal Shines a Light on Alaskan Wilderness and Family Togetherness

My friend Libbie and I have a mixed track record when it comes to Sandra Bullock movies. On the one hand, Miss Congeniality was one of the first movies we saw together in the theater, and we loved it. On the other, both of us agreed that 2007's Premonition was pretty dismal. Still, the good impressions outweighed the bad as we watched the trailer for The Proposal, and the premise looked cute, so we decided this was probably a cinema-worthy chick flick. I'm glad we followed through on those theater plans.

The Proposal stars Bullock as Margaret Tate, a no-nonsense book editor seemingly cut out of the same cloth as Meryl Streep's Devil Wears Prada tyrant, though she never quite achieves that level of cool collectedness. Still, she rules her office with an iron fist, and nobody has to put up with more grief than her personal assistant, the adorable Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). There's nothing he won't do in his sycophantic quest to achieve his dream job, and he's about to find out just how far Margaret will push that envelope. When she receives the shocking news that she is on the verge of deportation to Canada, she produces a fiance - Andrew. To satisfy the government, being engaged is not enough; they'll have to actually marry. First, though, they'll have to announce the news to his extended family, who are gathered in Andrew's Alaskan hometown for his grandmother's 90th birthday party.

My favorite Bullock movie is probably While You Were Sleeping, a wonderfully sweet romantic comedy about a woman whose longtime crush is in an accident that knocks him into a coma. She is the first on hand to help him, and by the time he's safely settled in the hospital, staff and family alike assume that she is his fiancee. After a few initial attempts to set the record straight, this lonely woman allows the family to embrace her. The details of the two movies are very different, but in some respects the basic plot is very similar: isolated woman falls in love with the family of a faux fiance. Because while film is about Margaret and Andrew falling for each other away from the stresses of work and the constraints of the boss-employee relationship, their romance blossoms largely because of the nurturing environment of the affectionate Paxton family. And all that fresh Alaska air doesn't hurt either. "How could anybody choose the city over that?" Dad asked me during a scene displaying a vast vista of verdant grass and snow-capped mountains. I don't know. (I do know, however, that I caught my dad not only admiring the landscape but laughing out loud several times, so guys, don't snub this one automatically!)

It's a surprise to us and Margaret alike when a ride through Andrew's hometown reveals that the Paxtons practically own the city. Their name is everywhere, and his parents live in a luxurious estate. His distant father Joe (Craig T. Nelson) has nothing but disdain for his son's chosen career path; he's the only child, so Joe was counting on him to keep up the family business. His mother Grace (Mary Steenburgen) is appropriately named, for she is happy to forgive Andrew for his long absences and only wants to keep the peace between the two most important men in her life. The always-delightful Betty White is the eccentric Paxton family matriarch, a position whose power she wields shrewdly. Grammy is no dummy, but unlike the bigoted neighbor White played in Bringing Down the House, she is genuinely sweet. The previews highlight her punchiest moments, giving the impression that there's more of a bite to her than there really is.

Aside from these three, there are four other significant supporting players. Denis O'Hare is Mr. Gilbertson, a smug immigration officer who distrusts the sincerity of Margaret and Andrew's connection. His is largely a comic role, though he is a central source of conflict as he tails Margaret with relentless Catch Me If You Can-style determination. There's also Gertrude (Malin Akerman), the childhood sweetheart who once turned down Andrew's proposal because, unlike him, she wanted to remain in Alaska, and Kevin, the adorable puppy who apparently has an innate dislike for Margaret. His slapsticky contributions to the movie are funny but seem to be there mainly for the sake of any kids who might be watching.

Finally, there's Ramon, a family friend and jack of all trades. Libbie and I are both fans of The Office, so we were excited to see Oscar Nunez, who portrays soft-spoken, level-headed accountant Oscar, in this film and amused by the many roles the zany character plays in the community. I do think, however, that a comedic bit involving him as a stripper is gratuitously raunchy and goes on much longer than it needs to. Though the movie is clearly geared towards adults and doesn't even have any characters in it who are children, this is one of the only scenes necessitating a PG-13 rating. Another involves Margaret and Andrew accidentally colliding while unclothed, but the circumstances are innocent and the shot is tastefully done. Scattered throughout the movie are a few suggestive comments, but there's surprisingly little profanity.

The Proposal is a tale about the importance of family and respect, and it happens to be set in an absolutely glorious location. Reynolds and Bullock have great chemistry despite the slight age gap; she's 12 years older, but that seems fitting, since she's so much higher up on the totem pole business-wise. He's lovable from the beginning, while it doesn't take long for her character to become sympathetic. Margaret has pushed Andrew around for three years, so it's fun to watch him yank her around a bit once their strange situation gives him the upper hand, but it's also touching to see him staunchly defend her when questions about her arise. Meanwhile, her big end-of-the-movie oration, while strikingly similar to her speech in While You Were Sleeping, shows how much she has matured in just one weekend.

If you like Bullock or Reynolds, you'll probably like it, and if you've also always wanted to visit Alaska, you'll probably love it. For a feel-good, mostly old-fashioned romantic comedy, I propose you check out The Proposal!