The Watchlist // They Came Together Review

Editor’s Note: Normally there would only be one voice of reason for a review, but in the spirit of togetherness, we thought we’d have both Vithiya and Evan weigh in on this one.

Evan:
I imagine my parents stumbling across this movie on Netflix and thinking from the picture that it was a nice heartwarming romantic comedy and getting 20 minutes in before realizing it’s a farce. I’d get a phone call the next day like “we watched this awful movie!” In a large way I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much. It stirred those same rebellious feelings that I used to get when I watched a Zucker Brothers or Mel Brooks comedy. Like, “I get this, but I bet a lot of people don’t.” I’ve defended Wet Hot American Summer a lot over the years (still think it’s Paul Rudd’s best role ever), so it’s nice to finally have a true companion film from David Wain after more typical Hollywood fare like Role Models and Wanderlust.

Vithiya:
I didn’t have the reference of WHAS going into the film, and I was expecting something more satirical than farcical, which really threw off the first few scenes for me. Once I got on board with what was happening though, I really did enjoy it. Especially since the players are all strong comedians, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd kill it as the leads Molly and Joel. They could easily be cast in a New York set Rom-Com, but I feel like their performances in the real thing wouldn’t be nearly as truthful as their turn in They Came Together. They have great chemistry and the ability to play caricatures without actually being overdramatic.

While we’re talking cast let me just list out the incredible ensemble of funny people: Jason Mantzoukas, Melanie Lynskey, Ed Helms, Max Greenfield, Michael Ian Black, Cobie Smulders, Bill Hader, and Ellie Kemper support with cameos from Kenan Thompson, Jack McBrayer, Ken Marino, Michaela Watkins, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Adam Scott, Norah Jones, John Stamos and Michael Shannon. But I thought the scene stealer was definitely Christopher Meloni, who plays completely off-type as Joel’s corporate yet very quirky boss, Roland.

Evan:
Yeah everyone was pretty much pitch-perfect in the film, and it’s great to see so many different faces pop in for one joke performances. I agree that Meloni may be the stand-out, largely because of his hilariously extended poop scene (one of the moments in the film where David Wain and co-writer Michael Showalter’s sketch comedy background is very apparent). Other highlights for me were Joel’s basketball pals who each represent a “buddy” archetype, and the moment the film completely disintegrates into a behind-the-scenes soundtrack recording with Norah Jones and an assemblage of celebrity audio technicians. That was one of the moments where it felt like the film was really pushing the “can we do this?” boundary line.

Maybe I’ve just been watching too many hard dramas lately, but I found it such a relief to watch a movie where I didn’t have to care about anyone. Though the film hits the notes of a romantic comedy perfectly, it never lets itself believe them. At no point did I worry this was going to lapse into an actual love story (even one that defied conventions). These are not characters that you grow attach to and worry about, because they’re not characters. They’re joke machines clothed in protagonist disguises (but like you said, good disguises). It’s total comic irreverence and it’s a nice release.

Vithiya:
This movie was actually laugh out loud hilarious – there were many bits that got me laughing so hard I actually cried. But I found there were times when I wanted the plot to be little stronger, so that it wasn’t just a device to get from one joke to another. Then again, when I think about the structure critically, the thin plot reflected the stale state of rom-coms now a days. And Wain and Showalter cleverly conceived of an idiots guide to writing for the genre. What I found most impressive was that even with an extended poop scene, the film remained quite smart. It was refreshing to see a film calling out the lazy model of story-telling audiences have come to expect. Yet, I’m a bit disappointed the film wasn’t a straight up rom-com staring Rudd and Poehler, I’m not a big rom-com fan but just for the record, I’d watch that.

Evan:
For some context, the film is told in flashbacks as Molly and Joel are out for dinner with their friends Karen and Kyle (Ellie Kemper and Bill Hader). In the opening scene they basically set up what you can expect for the movie, explaining that their first meeting was like “a cheesy romantic comedy”. Throughout the story we pop back to the present day restaurant so that the characters can make quips about what they just saw etc. it’s a comedy writer’s wet dream. Like you said, it also serves to let the characters actually vocalize parts of the story, which makes them sound utterly ridiculous. Things that – were it a straight romantic comedy – we would just accept and move on (like how Paul Rudd’s character can’t see that his ex-girlfriend is a completely evil person). I did find it kind of odd that Karen and Kyle didn’t actually appear anywhere in the flashbacks, but I guess that’s a friendship they made after the events of the story (mainly I’m just a glutton for Bill Hader). Also, for the record, I’d vote for any Paul Rudd rom-com where he plays his WHAS character Andy all grown up (LANGUAGE WARNING).

Vithiya:
They Came Together makes me want to go back and watch WHAS. Overall, I really enjoyed the film. In fact it might be one of my favourites this year – but I’d be wary before I recommend it to everyone I know (and our audience). Like WHAS, I think this one speaks to a very specific type of humour and it is going to polarize audiences: those who whole heartedly embrace the farce and those who wanted a conventional romantic comedy.

So Evan, if your parents ask before they see it, would you recommend it? Would you let them know that it is a mockery of the rom-com genre or would that spoil the fun?

Evan:
That would totally spoil the fun! Naw, just kidding, my parents know me too well to ask me for movie advice. I think one joke from the film will be a suitable test to see if you’ll enjoy it. Joel and Molly are sitting in a restaurant and an uptight waiter gives them sass about their order. After he leaves Joel wonders at the pole up the waiter’s rear-end. We then watch as an enormous pole – which is indeed up the waiter’s rear-end – smashes dishes off of tables as he walks around the restaurant. Is that funny to you? Then you’ll love this movie. No? Yes it is. C’moooon, admit it! No one’s listening…you can laugh.