It appears that Josh Radnor's hopeless romantic "How I Met Your Mother" character Ted Mosby has rubbed off on his other ambitions. His debut film, "happythankyoumoreplease" is a bit more realistic than the hit sitcom, but both involve a great deal of optimism.
Following various relationship dynamics between six connected New Yorkers, Radnor is not-so-subtly inspired by Woody Allen, whom he references in the film quite clearly without naming him directly. To compare Radnor's film with Allen's body of work, however, would very clearly result in one major fundamental difference: Radnor is not pessimistic.
Radnor stars as Sam Wexler, a struggling writer (yup) on the precipice of 30 who by chance notices a young boy (Michael Algieri) get separated from what appears to be his family while on the subway. Sam feels inclined to help, but after a certain point (around when he learns the boy is a foster child who clearly didn't like his living situation) realizes he can't shake him off and takes him in. Around this time, a nearby bartender/server (Kate Mara) catches his eye.
The film also follows Sam's closest friend, Annie (Malin Akerman), a woman with alopecia struggling to find love, as well as his cousin Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber), who confront the possibility of uprooting their lives and moving to Los Angeles.
The characters' problems are very realistic, though not necessarily interesting. Sam's relationship with the boy, Rasheen, has the most potential because Rasheen is not the typical surprisingly mature wise- alec kid we're normally treated to in adult films involving unlikely friendships between a child and adult. But Radnor is also interested in the other relationship dynamics in his script, so that one story doesn't get quite the attention it might have ideally received.
Radnor's writing is very conscious of cliché, a necessity given the stories--especially the romances--have a natural trajectory toward predictable. And even though there's little reason given as to why Mara's Mississippi is interested in Sam, Radnor makes their exchanges too cute for their entire subplot to turn sour. The implication is these are two troubled young people looking for love, willing to go out on a limb to find it. That is just one of the many really sweet notions Radnor wishes to convey through this film.
"Happythankyoumoreplease" never delves into especially dramatic territory. The characters hit major bumps and hardships, but more of the sentimental variety, the kind that evoke audience empathy by trying to relate to everyone. Nothing out of the ordinary happens in the movie; Radnor just wants his audience to connect with the problems of the characters and consider the shifts in perspective they experience.
It's a pleasant film that really plays it safe, and those movies have their place. People hoping to be stirred by some seriously thought- provoking interpersonal dilemmas will be disappointed, but the title should be a giveaway that this one's an uplifting indie. The characters and their situations feel real, and it's enough to keep the film interesting until it finishes with a soft, moment-of-clarity/all is right in the universe climax.
I would definitely keep an eye on Radnor's work going forward. There are far worse labels than an optimistic Woody Allen minus the neuroses.
~Steven C
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