I have deeper thoughts about I Love You, Man. More so than what the comic might suggest.

When I saw the trailers for this a few months ago, I was really pumped to see it. Mostly because I am nurturing a serious man-crush for Paul Rudd and will watch anything he’s in.

But as time went on, I started asking myself “What is this movie?” The plot is simple enough. A man (Rudd) is getting married and realizes that he doesn’t have any guy friends to stand up on the altar with him. So he goes on a series of “man-dates” to find a new best friend and a Best Man for his wedding.

If you stop and think about it and if the genders were the opposite… wouldn’t this be a chick flick?

Both Rudd and co-star Jason Segel have gone on record stating that they don’t like how their film has been categorized as a “bromance.” But what else can you call it? Personally, I think it’s more fitting to label I Love You, Man a “bromance” such than other films that have been identified in that way. Knocked Up or Pineapple Express, for example.

Here’s another question… It’s shown in the trailer that Rudd’s character has both a brother and a father who is still alive. Why does he not ask either of them to be his Best Man. I don’t mean to judge the film based on the trailer (and hopefully they acknowledge the issue in the movie) but give us something to hang our hat in during the preview so we’re not asking dumb questions like that. A throw away line. ANYTHING!

“Hey, brother. Wanna be my best man?”

“No.”

“Dad?”

“No.”

#smash cut to a hilarious montage of “man-dates”#

Whatever. I’m totally seeing I Love You, Man this weekend anyway. Like I said, I have a man-crush to tend to.

Incidentally, while I was researching information about I Love You, Man, I came across this video of a performance in Rudd’s cannon I’m sure he’d like to forget. It’s from the Hong Kong action movie Gen-Y Cops (a sequel to the popular movie Gen-X Cops). In the film, Rudd plays F.B.I. Agent Ian Curtis (paging Joy Division!) who walks around with awesome feathered hair and highlights.

The video is a little more than 8 minutes long, but I encourage you to watch it in its entirety. You won’t be disappointed.

Gen-Y Cops came out in 2000, a few years before Rudd became more of a mainstream talent but a few years after he made his splash in Clueless. I am begging for some late night host to find this clip and show it to him when he’s making the promotional rounds for I Love You, Man. Not to make him uncomfortable, or anything. Just to hear him explain it. Rudd has a very winning self-deprecating sense of humor. I’d like to hear his take on it.

I had a couple of other things not related to the comic that I wanted to talk about today, but I think I’m going to quit while I’m ahead. It’s kind of hard to follow up with anything else after watching a video like that.

So… anyone holding out for a follow up with Gen-Z Cops?