Happythankyoumoreplease

Starring: Josh Radnor, Michael Algieri, Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Bram Barouh, Tony Hale, Zoe Kazan, Richard Jenkins
Directed by: Josh Radnor
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2011

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A struggling writer (Josh Radnor) befriends a small boy (Michael Algieri) without a place to live. While juggling that responsibility, he offers a shoulder for his best friend (Malin Akerman), his cousin (Zoe Kazan) and the woman of his dreams (Kate Mara).

Review:

Tim: I really like Josh Radnor. I'm a huge fan of his "How I Met Your Mother," so I was really excited to see Happythankyoumoreplease, his directorial debut, and a movie he also writes and stars in. The guy is talented. I have to say that this movie offers some glimpses of real genius, but overall, has just a few too many flaws. It is a movie you would expect from a talented first time director- good, but not quite good enough.

Radnor has some real talent as a director, I believe. There are a few moments in this movie where I was surprised by how he was able to deliver a poignant, funny, emotional, beautiful moment. I hope he continues directing, because I'd love to see what he can do with a few films worth of experience under his belt. However, as a first time director and a first time writer, he has some expected flaws. The biggest problem are a few scenes that defy logic. Without giving too much away, there is a scene between Radnor and Michael Algieri towards the end of the movie that takes place in the backseat of a car. The scene is emotional and powerful, but completely defies all logic. This could never happen in real life. I know that logic and truth would ruin a perfect movie moment, but sometimes you have to work in real life. The writing was a bit weak in that moment.

I was amazed Radnor was able to write all these interesting characters. Each one has a good story and I enjoyed seeing them interacting on screen. There is one exception to this, however. Radnor's character's cousin and her boyfriend were unbelievably weak. These characters are played by Zoe Kazan and Bram Barouh. I thought Kazan and Barouh were the weakest actors in the movie, which hurts because they were also the least developed. Yes, there are a few incredible moments with them, but the majority of the film sees them destroying any momentum the film was building. I thought their story was the most cliche-filled of the film and I was thoroughly bored with them. Their characters needed to be fleshed out more, and Radnor needed to find better actors for the parts.

Radnor writes himself a good character in Sam Wexler. I thought it was very brave how he made Sam not exactly the greatest guy in the world. He was a complex, flawed character, and it was nice to see a realistic portrayal of a real human being on screen. There were a few moments when the character pushed the limits (I had a hard time with some of his actions), but Radnor wisely pulls him back before he loses the audience. He gives a good performance. I really think he is a talented actor, and hasn't been used in the right ways on HIMYM recently. This was a film where he could still play in his safe zone, but spread his wings a bit. I liked him in this role.

I also enjoyed Kate Mara as Mississippi. I thought she worked very well with Radnor, and they had decent chemistry together. She has some talent, and I am excited about seeing her career develop. I loved that Malin Akerman was willing to play a woman with alopecia (she has no hair on her body at all). It was a nearly unrecognizable role (I had no idea how the loss of all hair can change the look of a person). While I felt like Akerman was trying to score acting points with the physical change, I still appreciated it. She gave a very good, believable performance. I want to especially Tony Hale, who gives an absolutely tremendous performance. He was funny, warm, unconventional, and overall, absolutely amazing. I loved him in this film, and I love Radnor for writing such a great character. Hale felt so real- I never got the sense that he was acting. I was glad to see Richard Jenkins in this film, too- but I wanted more of him.

As much as I wanted to love this movie, I have to admit there are moments when it's a bit of a mess. There are some big gaps in logic. There are scenes where too much is going on, and it all feels a little too chaotic. There are some weak characters that slow down the entire film. Despite the flaws, I stand up and applaud Josh Radnor for making his own movie. I'm sure he learned a great deal, and I am so excited to see his next effort. I honestly believe he can be a terrific director and a real force in Hollywood. I hope he continues the momentum from this decent (but impressive writing/directorial debut) first film and continues to grow in his craft.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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