Most of us can recognize the face of Josh Radnor, more noticeably as Ted Mosby from the hit TV show, How I Met Your Mother. With Happythankyoumoreplease, not only is he the film's main protagonist, he's also the writer-director. Props to that. In his debut, a simple New York comedy, he proves he can keep an audience entertained with some exceptions.
A major exception being two thirds of the story. Why? Because the film is really a collection of three stories; one main and two semi-bogus shorties. The main involves Sam (Josh Radnor), a struggling writer in the city of New York who stumbles upon a ten or so year old boy at the subway who's in foster-care. This sets up a nice Paper Moon/Kramer vs Kramer bonding situation. Amongst this he's in between love and friendship. Now to the semi-bogus shorties featuring Sam's cousin (Zoe Kazan) coping with her boyfriend as he returns from LA and the other centering on Sam's best friend (Malin Akerman) doing whatever she does. In this case, bouncing between work, alcohol, lovers and friends.
What works is Sam's story - that's the film's entertainment. Because it's a proper and genuine rendition of the type of story we've seen so many times before it keeps the customers satisfied. This doesn't work with the two shorties. They play out like the one forgettable story in a good collection of short stories, multiplied by two. They're tiresome to say the most. It just keeps the audience waiting harshly until Josh Radnor turns up with the kid.
This reason sustains the movement of the film as well do the supporting cast. Kate Mara is wickedly charming and seductive as Sam's love interest; Josh Radnor is Ted Mosby without the stupid antics; and Zoe Kazan steals the show with a lovely performance besides the unclever fable. These three as well as young newcomer, Michael Algieri, keep the film intact.
Yet what the film suffers from is sustainability. Seeing one third of the film being the most humorous and pleasing, the rest of the film lack inspiration and venture. However, Josh Radnor will without a doubt entertain and engage audiences with his directorial debut, and why not. It's a good splice of New York life.
A major exception being two thirds of the story. Why? Because the film is really a collection of three stories; one main and two semi-bogus shorties. The main involves Sam (Josh Radnor), a struggling writer in the city of New York who stumbles upon a ten or so year old boy at the subway who's in foster-care. This sets up a nice Paper Moon/Kramer vs Kramer bonding situation. Amongst this he's in between love and friendship. Now to the semi-bogus shorties featuring Sam's cousin (Zoe Kazan) coping with her boyfriend as he returns from LA and the other centering on Sam's best friend (Malin Akerman) doing whatever she does. In this case, bouncing between work, alcohol, lovers and friends.
What works is Sam's story - that's the film's entertainment. Because it's a proper and genuine rendition of the type of story we've seen so many times before it keeps the customers satisfied. This doesn't work with the two shorties. They play out like the one forgettable story in a good collection of short stories, multiplied by two. They're tiresome to say the most. It just keeps the audience waiting harshly until Josh Radnor turns up with the kid.
This reason sustains the movement of the film as well do the supporting cast. Kate Mara is wickedly charming and seductive as Sam's love interest; Josh Radnor is Ted Mosby without the stupid antics; and Zoe Kazan steals the show with a lovely performance besides the unclever fable. These three as well as young newcomer, Michael Algieri, keep the film intact.
Yet what the film suffers from is sustainability. Seeing one third of the film being the most humorous and pleasing, the rest of the film lack inspiration and venture. However, Josh Radnor will without a doubt entertain and engage audiences with his directorial debut, and why not. It's a good splice of New York life.