It’s easy to think
that a young, hipster looking writer/director like Josh Radnor would, when
tackling the romantic comedy genre, produce something off beat or indy-esque.
You would not be at fault for thinking this; he stars in a popular E4 comedy, How I Met Your Mother (2005 -) and his
first film as writer/director was perfectly titled to connote eccentric
cinematic sensibilities, Happythankyoumoreplease
(2010). His new film, which he wrote, directed and stars in is Liberal Arts and tells the story of a graduate
of a top university finding himself, twenty years later, back on campus and
falling for a freshman.
However, Liberal Arts is, beneath the liberal,
arty title, a very traditional romantic comedy. There is the mismatched
romantic pairing, the wiser, foreshadowing older mentor, the off beat side-kick
and a style of comedy which falls very much under the family friendly, don’t
offend the elderly banner.
All of this feels very
nice and fresh within the continuing onslaught of comedy inspired by the Judd
Apatow lewd, bromance genre. Liberal Arts
is funny and is touching and is able to reach out to a wide audience and make itself
relevant and relatable. The performances, like the direction aren’t flashy, but
display the restraint of a director confident of his vision. A film that is
memorable for being unremarkable.
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