I Love You, Man is the story of a man looking for a best friend. The man is Peter Klaven (played by Paul Rudd) and the best friend he finds is Sydney Fife (played by Jason Segel). As with the recent array of movies starring Rudd and Segel, this movie is complete with projectile vomit, awkward sexual moments (an unwanted man-on-man kiss), and dog poop on concrete. It is funny stuff, but let’s be honest: men find this kind of humor much funnier than women do.
Peter has never been a “man’s man.” His friends have always been women. He has a sensitive side, a more femine side, that is dominant in his behaviors: he is not aggressive in his business (real estate), he recognizes that the little things matter (serving his fiance’s ladies night group surprise root beer floats, including Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes as straws), and his mom is his best friend (he calls her after his first date with Zooey). When it comes time to plan his wedding, Zooey expresses concern with his lack of man-friends. Peter decides to go on man-dates to find a best friend.
After a series of comedic situations with the wrong guys, Peter eventually finds Sydney. Sydney is completing comfortable with his manhood: he even has a masturbation station in his man cave. Not surprisingly, Sydney is single. And all of Sydney’s oldest friends have started settling down with their families. Sydney and Peter find each other at the right time in both their lives.
The friendship that ensues between Peter and Sydney causes a riff in the relationship between Peter and his fiance. Not surprisingly, his fiance starts to realize that if Peter has friends, she is no longer his center of attention.
This movie is funny and has an Apatow flavor to it (although he is not credited for any part of this film). However, I think it is probably funnier to guys than it is for girls. It is like the reverse of a romantic comedy.
