Lovesick

Greetings again from the darkness. If you have been looking for proof that there is a difference between "crazy in love" and "crazy and in love", this first feature film from director Luke Matheny (God of Love, Live action short film Oscar winner in 2011) should end your search. It's also a return to the big screen for Matt LeBlanc, who, despite an extremely successful TV career ("Friends", "Episodes"), has never quite clicked with movie goers.

Mr. LeBlanc stars as Charlie Darby, an energetic elementary school principal beloved by his students and liked by everyone … except those with whom he falls in love. In what comes across as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome, Charlie's charms and romantic notions make it easy for him to connect. But once he falls, a psychotic reaction occurs within his brain and he becomes sociopathically jealous and paranoid and worried sick about things that might happen and things he has imagined to have happened. Charlie's love reactions are played for laughs, but there is also a sense of sadness and danger that is left unexplored.

Writer Dean Young ("King of the Hill") goes for the conventional approach despite Charlie's unconventional affliction. The laughs are small rather than guffaws, and LeBlanc's genuine likability makes us pull for him to break free from this socially crippling behavior. Adam Rodriguez ("CSI: Miami") plays Jason, Charlie's very supportive best friend, and the narrator of the story. His character provides what little insight we get into what happens to Charlie. Ali Larter plays Molly, the most recent object of desire for Charlie. Larter and LeBlanc are very good together, but that doesn't ease the awkwardness of Charlie's reactionary ways.

Other supporting work is provided by Chevy Chase, as Charlie's lonely porn-addicted neighbor (a glimpse at Charlie's future?); Kristen Johnston as an ex-girlfriend and counselor trying to help; the always funny Rachael Harris as a vile and disgusting Charlie date; and the wonderful Connie Sawyer as Nana Bebe. If you are unfamiliar with Ms. Sawyer, she recently turned 102 years old and has appeared as Mrs. Sullivan in a couple of "Ray Donovan" episodes, plus most every seminal TV series since the 1960's (except, ironically, "Friends").

Most will find the movie likable … just like its star. It's best if you not expect a story with an edge or any real insight into human nature or relationships. The screwball musical score is enough to remind us that the film is not taking a serious approach to Charlie's psychotic affliction, yet it does remind us that we all go a bit crazy when we fall in love – let's just hope that it's not a Charlie-type crazy.

Loved Ali, loved Matt, the other cast is fine. If you're fans of theirs you'll wish they had chosen a better project. A fairly obvious Rom-Com with by the numbers twists and plot points. Not bad, but not all that good. She would have dumped him on strike three, and if she didn't he'd have to wonder why she stayed, then dump her. Larter plays a smart young woman trying to improve herself, LeBlanc plays a smart guy that has has improved himself and has a thing for her. Unfortunately he also has poor impulse control with respect to romantic situations. He goes doofus around women he fancies. I can see how that should have been a fun story, but he ends up being just shy of creepy. I had trouble buying it after the first few laughs. So romantic yes, comedic yes, but overall lackluster.

I found this movie so unique and unexpected! It's not a usual romantic comedy with the boring clichés but a very interesting plot superbly delivered by great acting.

I have not seen LeBlanc performing a character like this so far and it was very refreshing to see him being able to portray else than the goofy, handsome guy. It showed his true acting skills. The writing is very well done, I enjoyed the story and the character's struggle a lot.

I'm very much disappointed to see how low-voted this movie is! Were you people watching the same thing? It's worth way more than a 5, it's at least an 8.

i just want to remind you that life is short, so if you don't want to be turned out like i, i mean, we did (several people actually), wasting about 1 hour, trying so hard to be enthusiastic, be connecting with this stupid film, that hour been wasted would never get back after survived 68 years on this planet earth. my god, how could this stupid and boring screenplay got the nods from a bunch of rich investors? if you guys are so loaded, it means that you guys must be at least smarter than the usual population (including aforementioned several people), but how possible that you guys would have approved to pay for such stupid script and signed up these actors to make such pathetically boring film? we all cursed when we decided not to watch along, because this film just made us feel as stupid and boring like these roles played by those pathetic actors, and of course, there were lot youngsters playing the school kids, and likewise, they also acted so unnaturally boring. this is one of the most awkward so-called 'romantic comedy' genre films that is simply so embarrassingly rigid, contrived, cardboard-like tasteless boring to the extreme.

This Movie is a perfect example how you don't have to act when you are in relationship. It relate perfectly to the really jealous people, who can't get over their fear of disappointments when in love. Every person once in a while got its suspicions that maybe the love one is in a affair, and goes to the limits to prove his believes. Eventually everything goes back to its place and all the suspicions disappear. The Movie is mixed with twisted sense of humor and big dose of the reality nowadays. It shows the long way we have to go in order to understand the situation and move on. The point is to trust each other more and not to get into neurotic jealousy that will destroys our relationship.