Review: Celeste & Jesse Forever

Celeste & Jesse Forever looks and smells like a romantic comedy.  From the cast (Rashida Jones as the Rom and Andy Samberg as the Com) to the trailers, which were cut to make you chuckle and tilt your head and say “awwwww” at the same time, this movie screams When Harry Met Sally and Serendipity.  However having watched the movie, I can tell you that it is precisely neither.  Sure, there’s a dash of romance and a pinch of comedy, but the film that director Lee Toland Krieger and writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack have cooked up is anything but.  What the film is, is an interesting look at what happens when the bridge between friendship and love falls apart and the process of rediscovering oneself in the aftermath.

The movie follows Celeste (Rashida Jones) and her estranged husband Jesse (Andy Samberg) - two individuals with an awkward if not unhealthy attachment to each other.  Their chemistry and friendship is such that it makes you wonder what beneath the surface differences are keeping them apart.  The story thus follows the ebb and flow between the two as they struggle to move on even in the face of life altering developments.

What works about this movie is that the main characters are flawed in small ways that allow them to remain likable and that they are put in situations that most everyone can relate to.  It gives the film an authentic and poignant feel.  Who hasn’t had that one relationship that should have worked out but for any number of barely perceptible reasons went awry?  And while there are certainly a few dramatic moments for entertainment’s sake, the way the creative team handles loose ends is subtle with a delicate touch.

This is very much Rashida Jones' film.  As Celeste, she receives the most screen time and her work in fleshing out the nuances of her character is key to making this narrative work, because it is Jones who acts as the catalyst to the plot and it is her loss that the audience experiences.  Jones does a remarkable job of creating a character who is maddening, likeable, flawed, and hopeful.  It is without a doubt her most complex role to date and she does a good job of pulling it off. 

Playing opposite her, Andy Samberg is perfectly cast as Jesse.  His character is everything you would expect from a typical Andy Samberg character without the over-the-top comedic hijinks.  He is adept at playing the immature but good-natured slacker and that’s precisely what he is asked to do here.  While I don’t think we’ll be seeing Samberg amongst the list of Oscar nominees any time soon, this film represents a good dramatic turn for the SNL alum.

As for the rest of the cast, Ari Graynor (What’s Your Number?) does a serviceable job as the best friend – a role that she always seems to play. Ditto for Eric Christian Olsen (Fired Up!) who is affable enough in the role of male confidant.  Elijah Wood, Will McCormack, and Chris Messina help to add a bit of depth to the plot in very little screen time, and Emma Roberts brings up the rear as the lone blemish in what is a fairly well acted movie.  Her performance as pop star Riley is a campy half-hearted attempt that is sorely out of place in a movie that is firmly grounded in realism. 

All the pieces come together to form a nice movie.  There are no big scenes or overly dramatic turns and no eye-popping visuals.  It’s a subtle take on two individuals and their ability (or inability) to cope with the intracasies of their relationship.  If this is your cup of tea, then you will love this movie.  If you are looking for laughter, romance, feel-good moments, catharsis, then you may not enjoy this film quite as much.  I would recommend this film for anyone who enjoys smaller scale movies with an indie flair, but know that you won’t feel rewarded at the end for watching this film.  You’re more apt to nod your head in empathy.

Standout Performance: Rashinda Jones.  This is the first movie I have seen where Jones is asked to carry the film and she does a very good job of portraying a complex character in a way that is both compelling and entertaining.