Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (PG-13)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
, a movie about a young high school student lost in life after his long term (6 months) girlfriend breaks up with him.
What'd you think Mike?
Mike: I liked this movie. It’s not hilarious like Superbad and some of the others, but it is funny and more importantly fun.
What did you think?
Scott: I liked it. It had a cool feel. It was a normal teenager movie. It didn't seem all Hollywood-ized. It seemed like something that could happen in real life. The kids in the movie didn't impart knowledge of the ancient Greeks; they were just high school kids.
The movie takes place over a single night. The kids in the movie are all Jersey kids that go to NYC for a night out. They are searching for a favorite band whose show is held in some unknown location in the city.
Mike: I liked that we could live vicariously through these characters. Who wouldn't want to be a teenager who stays out all night in Manhattan? The best part is that this doesn't seem like any big deal to them.
Scott: The NYC is their backyard. To them, it's just another place. To those of us who don't live there, it's a strange and crazy place.
In Richmond, the bars close at 2am (and the bars move the clocks up to get out earlier), in the movie they are still out hitting places at 4am.
Mike: None of these kids are old enough either and it doesn’t seem to matter. I like that there are no parents or adults in this movie.
Scott: It's PG-13 and almost every high school student is getting into bars and drinking.
Mike: It takes me back and makes me forget that I am one of the dreaded old people.
Scott: It's always bad to remember that. When you are young, you are so eager to be old, not knowing the older folks are wishing for your youth.
Mike: Very true.
Scott: I never lived my life the way they do in this movie, but I still liked watching it as if it was my past.
Mike: In that regard, this has a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off feel, where you have this kind of perfect moment in time that is cooler than stuff that actually happens to teenagers.
Scott: Michael Cera is Nick and he is distraught over his recent break-up. The only thing that can cheer him up is the possibility of seeing his favorite band, Where's Fluffy?
Mike: I don't know if there are really underground bands like this, but I love the idea of it. Here is a band that basically makes it an Easter egg hunt to find them playing a gig. They are so cool they don't even come on until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning.
Scott: Cera is great and perfectly cast. It's always fun to watch him in roles
Mike: Once again I will mention that I have liked him since his turn in the awesome comedy series Arrested Development.
It’s funny that he is the one straight guy in a gay band, and they too are concerned about him getting away from the ex-girlfriend that is bad news for him.
Scott: He always plays the straight guy, so it makes sense.
Mike: Nice play on words.
I just realized he is Canadian. That explains a lot… Not really.
Scott: Kat Dennings is Norah, the too cool for private school girl, who is a mom to her friends. I couldn't place her at first, but then it came to me, the daughter in 40 Year Old Virgin.
She has that pseudo-Goth look that gives her an attitude before she ever says a word.
Mike: Not the best looking, but a girl you would definitely want to hang out with all night.
Scott: That's remarked upon in the movie. She is not the 'it' girl, but the friend. She’s the reliable one.
Mike: Wouldn't you love for some girl to just come up to you-kiss you and say to pretend you are her boyfriend for 5 minutes?
Scott: It's funny you say that, because it happens just about every time I 'm at Krispy Kreme. Usually right after I bite into a glazed doughnut.
Mike: Oh wait, me too.
I also have to mention Ari Graynor who plays Norah's friend Caroline. She adds some great comic relief and has an unnatural attraction to her gum. If you see the movie you will know what I mean.
Scott: A lot of comedies lately have a gross out scene that people talk about, this has one too. And it’s that gum. It's not Knocked Up gross, but it was gross on a PG-13 level.
The movie also has a strong supporting cast. Nick's bandmates Thom (Aaron Yoo) and Dev (Rafi Gavron), along with the groupy-ish, beefy guy, Lethario (Jonathan B. Wright) were funny all the way through. They were cruising around in their Scooby Doo van and bringing the laughs. They were great friends to Nick and always watched out for him.
Mike: Mentioning the van reminds me that one of the other funny supporting characters is a faded yellow Yugo. Maybe the only one left running in New York, if not the world.
His attention to this piece of junk reminded me of a college friend who spent way too much time and attention on a Ford Pinto.
Scott: That car was a 'running' joke through the movie, until it wasn't.
Mike: The pun master returns.
Scott: I ordered the abs master and got the pun master instead.
Mike: Since it has infinite playlist in the title, we have to mention the music. I did not recognize half the music I heard, but I enjoyed the music immensely.
Scott: Was there music in this?
Mike: Do I have to point that out to you every time?
Scott: It was nice to not hear the same old tired songs like we normally hear in these movies. The soundtrack was like the movie, refreshing.
Mike: And I certainly liked the music much better than the Juno soundtrack. I have to admit that I did not get the attraction to the Moldy Peaches or whoever.
Scott: Would you please answer a question of mine? Why is it so hard to find soundtrack information on movies? Sure, they might have a soundtrack, but it's often hard to find. And then they always leave some songs off of it
Mike: I am guessing it’s the weasel lawyers causing all the problems.
Some TV shows almost never made it to DVD because of legal wrangling over song rights. Seinfeld and Miami Vice both come to mind.
Scott: I heard about that too. You should Wiki the 'Happy Birthday' song.
Mike: I'd rather just hum it.
Watching the movie I would not have guessed that it was based on a book. I’ve never heard of the books authors, the writers or the director before.
Scott: Neither have I, but they did a good job with it.
So how do you rate this?
Mike: I give this a 3 overall and a 3.5 for teen comedy. It’s not a classic, but pretty good.
How about you?
Scott: Like I said earlier, I liked it. I give it a 3.5 overall and a 4 for teen comedy.
Start your infinite playlist here this weekend.
