NICHOLAS STOLLER

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB.  USA, 2008.  Universal Pictures, Apatow Productions.  Screenplay by Jason Segel.  Cinematography by Russ T. Alsobrook.  Produced by Judd Apatow, Shauna Robertson.  Music by Lyle Workman.  Production Design by Jackson De Govia.  Costume Design by Leesa Evans.  Film Editing by William Kerr.  Online Film Critics Awards 2008.  

Television music composer Jason Segel is so distraught over being dumped by his actress girlfriend (Kristen Bell) that he goes on a Hawaiian vacation by himself to get over her. Lo and behold, the ex is also there with her new flame, a radically strange rock star (Russell Brand) with his own manner of animal magnetism. Segel tries to take in the local colour without bitterness but isn’t really able to start working towards recovery until the beautiful reception-desk clerk at his hotel (Mila Kunis) starts showing him sympathetic attention. The set-up is far too simple for a near two-hour comedy that doesn’t exactly pile on the laughs, but the actors are all likeable and do a great job mining the situations for subtle comedy. Paul Rudd has a terrific cameo as a zoned-out surfing instructor.