Movie Review: That Awkward Moment
Romantic comedies aren’t for everyone, but I’ll admit that they are for me. There, I’ve said it. Even your garden-variety now-only-five-bucks-on-the-end cap-at-Target flicks born from a script that’s been recycled dozens of times call to me. There’s just something comfortable about the genre. You know what’s coming. There’s a love story. There’s a wrench thrown into the lovers’ plans. The lovers make up. Kissing ensues. Sounds great, right? So, if you’re into that (or Zac Efron’s bare chest), throw on some sweats and get to the theater and give That Awkward Moment a shot. But, prepare yourself for some dick jokes – a lot of them.
When Mikey’s (Michael B. Jordan) marriage falls apart, his buddies Jason (Zac Efron) and Daniel (Miles Teller) vow to stay single with him and bro it out for a while. Of course, hooking up with various women is still permissible. In fact, it seems not only allowable, but encouraged, to sleep around and/or go on consecutive dates with a woman, as long as she’s not technically a “girlfriend.” A bit of a cheesily gross concept, yes. But for a movie that’s been consistently dubbed as a male wannabe of Sex and the City, I have to admit I appreciate the Three-Musketeers-like bond of friendship between men, for once.
So, how hard could this pact be? The guys are all successful. Mikey’s a doctor. Daniel and Jason are book-cover designers. The gents seem well-off enough, living in huge New York City apartments with absurd skylines and expensive decor. The local bartenders know them; ladies are impressed by them. But, we get it. Something’s missing from their lives – commitment. The thing about That Awkward Moment is that it’s hard to feel much of anything for these dudes. Not pity. Not anger. Certainly not love. I didn’t even feel like yelling at the screen for Jason to do the right thing when it comes to Ellie (Imogen Poots), his mostly-on-again love interest. I felt annoyance, perhaps; particularly with the Jason character. But, ultimately, I wasn’t invested.
Though I didn’t leave the theater feeling moved, positively or negatively, by anyone, the females aren’t to be ignored. Ellie and Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis) both have the “girly, but still just one of the guys” vibe going, which works for a romantic comedy turned inside-out. I found myself rooting for Ellie, just like we’re supposed to. Happily, the smoldering-yet-stuck-in-the-friend-zone Chelsea is a good match for Daniel — they were a joy to watch together.
Zac Efron in “That Awkward Moment.” © 2013 – Focus Features.
For the film in which Zac Efron decided to let the world know he’s no longer a teen heartthrob — he’s a man, actor, and producer now, after all — it’s fortunate that Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan joined the cast. Jordan easily conveys an occasional seriousness in a penis-joke-laden script, whereas Teller brings some genuine, playful humor to a film that might otherwise be deemed simply crass. Believe me, though. Crass isn’t always a bad thing. And there’s a lot of truth in the script, actually — what guy in his twenties doesn’t toss around a dick joke every 10 minutes? There were times I roared with laughter along with the rest of the audience.
Overall, That Awkward Moment is a funny movie full of handsome actors, each of whom has an ever-developing future in film. Though, I enjoyed the posters for That Awkward Moment — and the gag reel that rolled during the credits — almost as much as I enjoyed the actual movie.
Mandi Ruffner
