10) That Awkward Moment
That awkward moment when I was somewhat excited for this Miles Teller, Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan-led rom-com. That awkward moment when I sat down to watch it and immediately realized I’d made a terrible mistake. That awkward moment when I found the end credits funnier than the actual movie.
That Awkward Moment is all the evidence those who lament the mass-produced superficiality of the Hollywood rom-com need on which to rest their case. The script barrages the film’s three lead actors with cliches, turns their characters into dimwitted horndogs and adds insult to injury by failing to even make them funny. Either Teller, Efron and Jordan have the collective mentality of a ten-year-old, or they forgot to read the script on this one. Their mistake – the three talented actors had been on promising tracks up until this disaster hit (luckily, all three appear to have recovered).
On top of its other offenses, when Dakota Johnson, Imogen Poots and Jessica Lucas enter the picture as the three unlucky objects of said horndogs’ affections, That Awkward Moment reveals itself to be much more sexist than sexy. Why? Do studio execs think audiences find that kind of misogyny entertaining, instead of insulting? Whenever I think Hollywood has made some progress in its depiction of modern dating, along comes a lemon like this to prove me dead wrong.
Published: Dec 22, 2014 10:57 am