On my way to see I Give it a Year at the cinema last week, I must admit I was fairly sceptical. British comedies these days are often sparse, leaving it up to the Americans to provide any outrageous onscreen antics. Films described as comedies usually seem to be hyped up and overrated but packed with cheap laughs. Going to see films which are heralded as ‘laugh out loud’ experiences puts us all under pressure to genuinely, well… laugh out loud. However deluded it might seem, you’ve bought a ticket, spent ridiculous amounts on popcorn and will be wasting two and a half hours of your life on this film, so you may as well pretend to enjoy it. For now though, rant over, and I’m pleased to say that I very happily surprised to find that none of the above applied to I Give it a Year.
The film centres on ill-suited couple Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall), who marry after only knowing each other for a matter of months. After getting caught up in the whirlwind romance, they start to realise that they have very few – if any – things in common with each other. Mix in Josh’s ex-girlfriend Chloe (Anna Faris) – still painfully in love with him – plus Nat’s new smooth-talking business partner Guy (Simon Baker), and the relationship swiftly unravels. Stephen Merchant is pure genius cast as Josh’s socially ridiculous best friend, his best man’s speech being a highlight of the whole film. The usually quiet comedian who takes a backseat role on Ricky Gervais’s show really gets a chance to show just how talented he is at making people laugh. The brilliant Minnie Driver plays the role of Nat’s cynical sister, delivering the title of the film before even leaving the church.
The film begins with Josh and Nat’s first meeting, and then cuts promptly to their first counselling session, as they mull over the last six months and we flash back to exactly where it all went wrong. Cue ridiculous dance moves from Spall, shallow disdain from Byrne and shameless bids for attention from their unrequited lovers.
The film is one to go to see with friends or partners, but possibly a tad too Inbetweeners-esque to take along your mum and dad. However, if you are with your other half, you are guaranteed to cringe at a particularly hilariously embarrassing scene involving the in-laws accidentally coming across Josh’s X-rated pictures of him and Nat, hidden among the honeymoon photos.
The only negative thing I would have to add about the film would be to warn that if you’re expecting a classic, predictable rom-com then this isn’t the one for you. The director, Dan Mazer, chooses a twisted version of the ‘boy meets girl’ love story and keeps the narrative fresh, original and slightly chaotic. It’s unsurprising to find out that Mazer is a little-known, frequent collaborator with Borat and Bruno’s Sacha Baron Cohen. This is due to his offbeat take on romance, as he highlights the imperfections and realities of being a newlywed. Don’t worry though, it isn’t quite as shocking a watch as Borat.
The satirical, refreshingly honest account of a couple who just don’t belong together is new and compelling. The well-written script and comedic timing provides plenty of genuine laughs the whole way through. I can’t recommend a film to watch right now highly enough, and am pretty certain you won’t regret it if you go to see I Give it a Year.
Image Sources:
http://starseeker.com/2013-mov…
http://omgstaffs.com/2013/02/1…
http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/hila…
http://www.redcarpetnewstv.com…