‘That Awkward Moment’ Another Dishonest Rom-Com

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Rating: 1.5/5.0

CHICAGO – “That Awkward Moment” posits its cheeky hashtag of a title concept as one relating to when Friday night flings yield from becoming Saturday daytime couplings (to paraphrase Woody Harrelson’s wisdom in “Friends with Benefits”). But the film itself, in its low-standard glory, stretches this idea to a wider definition: that of failing, obviously and publicly, in a specifically non-cool variety of embarrassing. Thankfully, two of its main attraction rising stars have a few duds to spare - this film certainly counts as one of them.

The problem for the film’s three employed New York bachelors begins with a pact, the kind of expression of brotherhood that has caused more problems than solutions in dude comedies of past (“American Pie,” “Wedding Crashers,” “The Hangover,” among others). Book cover designers Jason (Zac Efron) and Daniel (“The Spectacular Now’s” Miles Teller) decide to stay single to support their friend Mikey (“Fruitvale Station’s” Michael B. Jordan). This kind of camaraderie is shown to be easier promised than maintained, however, when all of the men unexpectedly start falling in love with the women they are initially casually seeing, without telling the others about their personal developments; Jason finds a soft spot for young author Ellie (Imogen Poots), Daniel realizes his wing-woman Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis) is attractive, and Mikey tries to save his marriage to Vera (Jessica Lucas).

Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan
Jason (Zac Efron), Daniel (Miles Teller) and Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) in ‘That Awkward Moment’
Photo credit: Focus Features

First, there’s that awkward moment in which you have three talented young actors who aren’t able to BS their way through improvised comedy. Sure they may be game for some self-deprecating shenanigans, but it is remarkable how immediately the film’s fratty frivolity halts when it relies on them bantering, trying to create a sense of friend chemistry through joking around with each other. (Thankfully, Teller has a handful of funny lines.) Think Judd Apatow tangents can get a little tiresome? Watch these skilled actors (in dramas, at least) try to razz each other, constantly with the unpolished quality usually reserved for outtakes. Does this explain why the film concludes a numerous amount of scenes with someone calling someone else an idiot? I am not sure.

As for the casting of these three men in general, it is the name quality of the leads that prevents “That Awkward Moment” from being completely average and/or disposable, especially with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller due to explode in T-minus two or three years. If these characters were played by actors more immediately comparable to Efron, “That Awkward Moment” would surely suffer more.

There’s that awkward moment as well, for example, where the editors forgot to include footage that must have been shot, which includes randomly appearing side-characters establishing their relevancy to main characters. Mackenzie Davis’ Chelsea, for example, is at first introduced visually as a seemingly insignificant woman at the bar sitting behind Teller. It is only when Daniel instructs her to do something that we get a sense that she actually knows him, and that she has some type of significance. After this sequence, it then becomes apparent that they even have a strictly platonic friendship, despite the lingering question as to why they are only friends.

This editing forgetfulness is experienced again later, thankfully in a shorter amount of time, when we see Jason talking to a random older man alone in a bar, confessing what he had done wrong, and the man simply advises to him, “Sounds like you just need to get laid.” Who is this man? Is this his father, an uncle, a man he met on Craigslist to give him advice? I demand answers, dumb movie, and you can’t excuse yourself just because it’s the worst movie season of the year!

Or, there’s perhaps the film’s most damningly awkward moment, or numerous moments, in which this supposed testosterone-fest and more “honest” or “hip” kind of romantic comedy grovels to the cliché elements within the subgenre, in ways that have doomed its ancestors like “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”, “No Strings Attached”, or “Friends with Benefits”. As these stories teach horny anti-Prince Charmings that nothing is stronger than love (and that their Princess Charming has been standing just behind their libido the whole time), there is apparently nothing that can defeat manufactured romantic comedy storytelling, regardless of the amount of distance these stories may want to have from being a typical love story.

Imogen Poots
Ellie (Imogen Poots) in ‘That Awkward Moment’
Photo credit: Focus Features

It is remarkable how formulaic these supposedly “different” films can be, as if they are subservient to the clichés they want audiences to recognize, yet powerless to such a cliché’s appeal when ultimately trying to relate to the widest audience possible. In this case, “That Awkward Moment” might have a scene in which some bros pop Viagra in anticipation of their night, but its third act climax is none other than a sappy, arduous proclamation that owes up to its freaking “Jerry Maguire” reference in a previous scene (which Efron commits to, at the very least). This moment among others shows that these supposed selfish dudes are completely watered down versions of their archetypes, removed from hip, honest, or at least genuinely douchey features that might make them authentic (this movie had me clamoring for the unapologetic testosterone talk in “Don Jon”.) That one of the guys in the trio makes a serious reference to “Bridget Jones’ Diary” is further indication that even the script’s genre meta humor is completely stale by at least a decade, as a random Morris Chestnut reference comes with more surprise and comedy despite its slightly more obscure subject. Their behaviors scene-by-scene determined by whether the movie wants them to be sweet men or naughty pigs, there is nothing cute about when one advises another to do a romantic “just like in the movies!” Unmistakably, these neutered dudes are already in one.

Indeed, that awkward moment where a supposedly hip take on relationships in the age of Facebook stalking turns out to be just as grossly and shamelessly gooey as any other insignificant romantic comedy.

“That Awkward Moment” opens everywhere on January 31st. Featuring Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Imogen Poots, Mackenzie Davis, and Jessica Lucas. Written and directed by Tom Gormican. Rated “R”

HollywoodChicago.com editor and staff writer Nick Allen

By NICK ALLEN
Editor & Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
nick@hollywoodchicago.com

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