Blu-ray Review: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt in Fun ‘The Five-Year Engagement’

CHICAGO – There’s a great movie buried in the bloated “The Five-Year Engagement,” a comedy that nearly feels like a rough cut at a ridiculous 125 minutes in its theatrical form or 132 minutes in its unrated version. The stars are incredibly charismatic and I like a lot of what Jason Segel & Nicholas Stoller are trying to do with their tale of how life sometimes gets in the way of love but the movie is just too long, making it merely good despite having greatness within.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

The Blu-ray release of “The Five-Year Engagement” is impressive, as are most releases of Apatow comedies in the HD age. Not only does it feature an unrated version but it also offers fans a way to watch the movie on DVD and Ultraviolet (or other digital options). There are deleted scenes, extended scenes, alternate jokes, featurettes, and even a commentary track. It’s one of the most impressive Blu-ray releases for a comedy all year.

As for the movie, the cast is spectacular. Segel has never been this likable or this dramatically engaging. Emily Blunt is one of the most charismatic and charming actresses alive. As a Thursday night NBC comedy fan, I love seeing Alison Brie (“Community”) and Chris Pratt (“Parks and Recreation”) in sizable roles. And there are very funny and even dramatically interesting scenes in “Engagement” that other comedy writers would never even consider. I just wish someone would edit these Apatow comedies, which seem to be getting longer and longer. Given the amazing running time, it’s almost impressive that this is still a good comedy. I just wish it had been a great one.

The Five-Year Engagement was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 4, 2012
Photo credit: Universal

Synopsis:
From the producer of Bridesmaids and the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes an irreverent comedy about an engaged couple who keep getting tripped up on their long walk down the aisle. Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) seem destined to live happily ever after, but as one hysterical delay follows another, everyone starts to wonder: can they survive the engagement? Co-starring Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rhys Ifans, Kevin Hart and Mindy Kaling, The Five-Year Engagement “slaps a goofy smile on your face and keeps it there!” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)

Click here to buy “The Five-Year Engagement”

Special Features:
o Deleted Scenes
o Extended & Alternate Scenes
o Gag Reel
o Line-O-Rama
o The Making Of: The Five-Year Engagement
o Feature Commentary With Filmmakers And Cast

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com