obviously the film is operating in a highly schlocky circuit, but it still has a few idiosyncratic details that give it a distinct flavour. one minor detail that runs throughout the film, and which i think is very apt when considering how socialization is structured in our society, is ALCOHOL. booze flows through the film like a river; it’s a constant presence.
i liked the ambiguity of the ending. still shooting for a classic hollywood cathartic resolution, but carrell’s line “i don’t know if it’s going to work out” struck me as quite honest. it was the sentiment i was looking for, but unfortunately the film was just too shitty to turn the lock in my rusty, corroded heart. gosling was really funny for the most part, except when the jokes became too obviously improv.