“Wasn’t sure what I wanted to do about movie watching this week. There’s a handful of stuff that I could see, but nothing I really had to. But I knew I’d go crazy with cabin fever if I spent an entire Sunday afternoon at the cave of wonders. Then I remembered Celeste and Jesse Forever. I’d kinda dismissed it as looking too sappy, but I adore (I know, a word I use all too often) Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg (and Elijah Wood, who I’d forgotten was in this). Afternoon well spent, I think.
I’d expected to see a pretty equal amount of Jones and Samberg, but the majority of the focus was on Jones’ Celeste. Very well deserved, I think. She is a truly capable actress, who stunningingly anchored the film. She has this sincerity to her comedy, that makes her character very real and grounded. Wonderful seeing a more serious side of Samberg as Jesse. Yeah, he was still the adorkable doof we know and love, but he does infinitely better when he’s not playing off Adam Sandler. He really is talented and capable of much depth. Hollywood just needs to give him more opportunities like this one.
The surprising scene stealer was Elijah Wood. He’s Celeste’s boss, Scott, an adorably awkward gay boy trying his damnest to be sassy and failing miserably. Only had a couple of scenes, which is prolly a good thing so he wouldnt overdo it.
As far as the story and such, it was good enough. Nothing that would have held up without such a fine cast behind it. I’d also expected to see more of the initial relationship, which is where a lot of the fun in the movie was. The film did kinda suffer from Return of the King syndrome, where there were like a half dozen possible end points for it. Although that may just be that I was anxious to run down the hall for the day’s next movie, which had already started. Still, this really was my best bet for this weekend I think
Celeste and Jesse Forever – \m/ \m/ \m/