I have to admit, I wasn't prepared for as bad as “Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist” was.
It's supposed to be a teen romance comedy, but these supposed teens look and act more like people in their 20s, there's little romance or chemistry among the actors and nothing funny about it.
Michael Cera, who the year before was in the infinitely better “Juno,” plays the similar quiet, nerdy kid who happens to be in a rock band and is breaking up with his girlfriend.
Now the girlfriend, played by Alexis Dziena, goes to a Catholic girls school where they all wear the little Catholic uniforms. Among them is friend Norah (Kat Dennings).
The girls end up at a concert in which Cera’s band plays. The whole film takes place in one night, following the cast around. These types of movies have worked well in the past. Remember “Adventures in Babysitting?”
Now there's a movie where hilarious, interesting and compelling stuff happened to the characters. You won't find that in “Infinite Boredom.” (I hated the movie, I get to rename it.)
Maybe I should just describe what constitutes humor in this film. For instance, Cera drives a battered Yugo. So there are lots of scenes of the Yugo. The camera focuses on the Yugo nameplate as he is backing up so you remember it is a Yugo. The Yugo barely starts, It has a difficult time going forward. Somebody thinks it is a taxi. Do I have you rolling on the floor? Actually, this is probably the funniest thing in the film.
Now Nick's band includes two others who are gay. So people refer to it as “that gay band.” Are tears rolling down your eyes from laughing so hard?
And band members keep wanting to change the name of the band to another crude expression. What fun!
Then there's friend Caroline, played by Ari Graynor, who gets drunk and repulsive. The running joke is she keeps chewing her gum no matter what. So she goes into a dirty, public restroom and we get to see her vomit. Then she puts her hand in the vomit-filled toilet and fishes out the gum and puts it back in her mouth.
OK. If you had any desire to see this film, please reread this past paragraph.
Now in true romantic movie fashion, Nick and Norah must become a couple. But romance movie plot dictates Nick must first try to get back with original girlfriend, played by Dziena. Keep in mind there is no chemistry among any of these people. Nick must realize at some point he loves Norah, and leaves old girlfriend to find her.
All I'm thinking is let this thing end.
The “Infinite Playlist” refers to Nick's interest in music and making mixed CDs. Yet there is nothing to hint in this film why he or any other characters are interested in music.
All I can say is once you have met Nick and Norah, you never want to see them again.
NICK and NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST
• Directed (sort of) by Peter Sollett
• Written by Lorene Scafaria (screenplay), Rachel Cohn (novel)
• Runtime: 90 minutes, it just seems longer
• Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including teen drinking, sexuality, language and crude behavior
• 1/2 star out of 4 (only for the Yugo)
WEEKENDER / Entertainment
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‘Nick and Norah’ infinitely too long, terrible
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