'Wanderlust'

'Wanderlust' (R) (3 STARS)

Writers: David Wain and Ken Marino
Director: David Wain
Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Linda Lavin, Malin Ackerman, Lauren Ambrose, Kathryn Hahn, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Kerry Kinney, Michael Ian Black

"Wanderlust" is not one of those comedies that everyone will like especially those looking for a lot of big laughs. There is a difference between a big joke movie like "Bridesmaids" and a sly comedy like "My Idiot Brother". Both "Wanderlust" and Brother are very much alike and star my favorite go to guy for a sly comedy and that is Paul Rudd. I had some problems with "Wanderlust" and I was on the fence but Rudd is again the difference maker, him and another actor who I predict will be a household name and not just because he is dating Jennifer Aniston in real life. You also have a supporting cast to die for and some clever and smart laughs and I did laugh more than a few times.

"Wanderlust" is written by the team from the old cult TV sketch show "The State". They have also created "Role Models" and the cult classic "Wet Hot American Summer". I appreciate their warped sense of humor and I appreciate that the laughs in "Wanderlust" compliment the characters instead of attack them. Some of the jokes are vulgar but the movie is also strangely sweet at the same time. A lot of the humor here you have to pay attention to because my favorite moments are sly visual and written jokes that are not spelled out. I like all the charcacters in this movie and even the bad guy is appealing and funny. The more upfront and vulgar jokes are the ones that I think are weak, I like the sweetness better.

"Wanderlust" gives us Rudd and Jennifer Aniston as married couple George and Linda who in the very funny opening scenes are trying to buy a condo in New York and it is very hard. George gets fired from his job when the company he works for goes under. They both head to Atlanta and stop by a Bed and Breakfast which they find out is really a commune. After moving to Atlanta and suffering working for his brother both come back to the commune and are convinced by the residents to rough it and stay, starting a new, carefree life. The commune is led by a slick, arrogant but very persuasive leader played by Justin Theroux.

The commune has a lot of residents played by a great cast including a very funny Alan Alda, Kathryn Hahn and the beautiful and funny Malin Ackerman. I liked all these charcaters and I thought all the vulgar jokes seemed old hat and cruel to the supporting characters. I really liked the sweet jokes based on observation and how the commune leader, the residents and George and Linda get along in good and bad ways better. The movie gets my full reccomendation because of Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux. Both actors are so likable here and Theroux plays a deceiving bad guy.

Paul Rudd is one of my favorite comic actors and he always plays the straight guy it seems but he is always very funny and likable. My favorite performance of his was in the better than good "Role Models". He is very good here and he has a show stopping moment in front of a mirror. I could watch Paul Rudd in anything even if he was just sitting in front of a camera telling us a story for 2 hours. Rudd is so likable he would even get my vote if he ran for the President of the United States. Justin Theroux is also amazing as the commune leader and I was mesmerized by the way he gets laughs without going over the top. Justin is a brilliant writer and a smart actor and his performance here is ingenius. He gets big laughs by underplaying his character.

Jennifer Aniston is also good here and this is much better than some of the comedies she has been in lately. I do have a problem though and that is she is a very dependable actress but here she gives the least interesting performance in the movie. Part of it is some of the writing but she seems buried here and I have advice for her. Her comedic star vehicles have been terrible and I would like her to headline a comedy like Goldie Hawn used to make. I can imagine her doing really well in a "Foul Play" type of comedy. I found her part to be a little thankless here and she doesn't get any big laughs. "Wanderlust" is a hit and miss comedy that misses a lot but I love Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux so much and here they make a fairly good comedy even better and funnier.

P.S. I apologize to Jennifer Aniston. She was different and really funny in last year's "Horrible Bosses" in a change of pace role as an evil, slutty boss who sexually harrasses her employee. I hope she will do more roles like this in the future.