Film Review - I Give It a Year

By David Massey

I Give It a Year is the new rom/com from longtime Sacha Baron Cohen collaborator, Dan Mazer. Based on that pedigree alone, you can imagine that this isn’t your typical ‘chick flick’ and that comedy takes precedent over romantic sentiment throughout. In fact, the genre is turned on its ear, starting where most romance movies end (the wedding) and following the seeming demise of a marriage… to hilarious effect.

The film is unusually well balanced, giving as much time and interest to the husband, played by Rafe Spall (Prometheus / Life of Pi), as to the wife, played by Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids / Damages). The effect is that of a perfect date-movie; appealing as much to a man as it would a woman. Oh, but wait, this a modern romance so commitment is passé, adultery endearing, and marriage miserable.

Also playing against genre, Stephen Merchant (The Office / Extras) is the ‘best friend’ character usually reserved for the lead actress’ scene stealing, overweight sidekick (a la Rosie O’Donnell). Merchant subscribes to the same school of humor as Ricky Gervais - which I quite enjoy – but, where Gervais plays it cutthroat and coy, Merchant has an air of insecurity that turns awkwardly funny into just plain awkward. There is a sense that he was allowed to improvise within a handful of set pieces scattered throughout the film and they’ve done their best to edit together a few cohesive jokes to sadly jarring effect.

Fortunately, Merchant’s part is the exception to these surprisingly human and well written characters; some of which have a bit more to do than others but there are so many asides with smaller characters who get far more laughs than our leads. Olivia Colman (Broadchurch / Hot Fuzz), for instances, playing a couples therapist to which the story is told in the form of flashbacks, steals every scene she’s in and is absolutely hysterical. Anna Farris (Scary Movie / The House Bunny) is a bit more mousey than we’re used to seeing her but just as quirky, charming, and funny as one could hope in her role as the ex-girlfriend of Spall’s lead. Mini Driver (Circle of Friends / Good Will Hunting) just manages to get herself on screen for a few minutes but to great effect as the bitchy and jaded sister of Byrne’s character.

Of course the film is fairly UK-centric and it’s easy to miss some of the drier comments and underplayed humor but a keen ear reveals some truly funny jokes throughout and there are plenty of larger-than-life moments to make up the difference. This isn’t nearly as wacky as the filmmaker’s laurels would suggest; it definitely drifts into the realm of ‘raunchy’ at times but manages to stay grounded and without the usual trappings of sentimental romance or off-the-wall farce. The majority of the gags hit home and aside from some forgivable moments of ‘trying to hard’, this is a really satisfying and well-rounded light comedy.

I Give It a Year is Rated R

Opens in limited release August 9th.