THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT

Emily Blunt, Jason Seiel

Chris Pratt, Alison Brie

"A comedy about the journey between popping
the question and tying the knot"

HBO

This romantic comedy begs the question: "how soon after an engagement should a couple tie the knot?" 

For Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segel) it took them 5 long years (as the title obviously suggests) before they took the much awaited plunge.  The film presents all the reasons (valid and irrational) and the travails behind the delay. We know that Violet wanted her career to flourish before she became a wife and an eventual mother. We know that Tom is willing and lovingly sacrifices his own career as a chef to support his fiancee's decision. Everything is well discussed between the couple. They are truly supportive of each other's needs. There were situations in which I agreed it was a good idea to wait.  While on the other hand, I believe they should have gotten married within 6 months or at the most a year. 

I make it sound like it is a heavy handed dramatic film which takes itself quite seriously but it was quite the opposite. It is conceived by the same producers of "Bridesmaids" and "Knocked Up" so it had some really hilarious moments delivered with some raunchy dialogue but it wasn't offensive at all. 

Editing seems to be the 'only' flaw of the film as it took 124 minutes to wrap up.  By the one hour and 30 minutes mark, they still weren't 'married'!  I came this close to switching off the TV but I persevered mainly because I had grown quite fond of Violet and Tom as a couple.  Their chemistry was palpable. They were truly meant for each other even though they let their varying issues cloud their judgments.  Their decisions were always mired with problems which in my book weren't really problems, per se.

Editing issues aside, the film was a genuinely sweet and charming tale. It was funny and entertaining with endearing main characters portrayed with ease by Emily Blunt (one of my fave actresses) and Jason Segel. 

My final train of thought is this dialogue:  (Great advice, imho!)

Mother: What are you doing?
Tom: Look, we are not 100 % right for each other. So there is nothing to be said.
Mother: Well I got news for you, moron,
Your father and I, we are not even 90% right for each other.
Not even 60%, okay? But he is the love of my life. And right now the love of your life is going to fly away.  And I bet somewhere in the back of your mind, you are thinking that she will always be there if you want to try again. But you know what? She won't because she is the goddamned best!  And some lucky guy is going to make it work with her, no matter what!