MAN UP - review

MAN UP
Director: Ben Palmer
Cast: Simon Pegg, Lake Bell, Olivia Williams, Ophelia Lovibond, Rory Kinnear, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Sharon Horgan

Synopsis: A 34 year old single woman, Nancy (Lake Bell), hungover again, exhausted bt the endless fruitless set ups by her friends, travelling across London to toast another 10 years of her parent's successful, happy, magical marriage runs in with with a 40 year old divorcee, Jack (Simon Pegg), who mistakes her for his 24 year old blind date. Nancy, deciding to go with it, happens to hop on the most chaotic yet hilarious journey of her life, which neither of them will forget. There is drinking, truths, an old stalker class mate with a long standing crush, lost divorce papers, lost hopes, competitive indoor sports and Jack finding out the truth that Nancy isn't his blind date. MAN UP is a romantic comedy about taking chances, finding yourself, making decisions and rolling with the punches.

MAN UP opened at the cinema on Thursday this week, but I was fortunate enough to see it a couple of weeks ago on a flight on my snazzy in-flight entertainment ap on my shiny little iPad (look at me and my bad self!), but due to life kind of getting in the way I didn't get around to writing up my review. My plan this year (call it a resolution if you like) was to make time for the things I love and generally I have been much better at this, but the past month has gotten away from me and I forgot to make time, so tonight I am setting some of that most precious comodity aside. I took myself to the cinema yesterday and now I am catching up on some review writing.

I actually wasn't aware that this film was screening in cinemas this week, I thought it must have already been out ages ago because I watched it on a flight, so it's quite fortunate that it has only just opened, so I can tell you all about it and you can decide whether or not to go and see it for yourselves. I picked this film on the plane because it was one of the only ones I hadn't already seen, and because it had Simon Pegg in it and I have quite enjoyed his films in the past. The trailer looked alright, a comedy of errors about the perilous world of dating in the 21st century.

Simon Pegg and Lake Bell having the best date ever

image via StudioCanal

Nancy (Lake Bell) is stuck sitting with a bubbly 24 year old Jessica (Ophelia Lovibond), reading a riveting piece of self-help fiction who is trying to tell her how to fix her life. You know the type, the person who you just want to slap upside the head with their youthful optimism, and unrealistic ideals. Well, I know the type because I've been around the b lock a few times and I'm slightly jaded, so I felt Nancy's pain and wnated her to shut her trap just as much as Nancy did! Jessica is due to meet a man for a blind date under the clock at the station using her self-help book as her tell-tale sign that it's her. Jessica decides that Nancy needs all the help she can get, so leaves her with the copy of the book and off she pops to get herself a new copy. Nancy exits the train and unwittingly stands under the clock where she is approached by Jack (Simon Pegg) who mistakes her for his blind date. Not quite sure what is happening, Nancy goes with it and they spend a magical night together until the shit hits the fan and the truth comes out.

Ophelia Lovibond with her ridiculous book and youthful ideals

image via StudioCanal

This comedy of errors involves copious amounts of drinking, bowling, lost divorce papers, an awkward drink with Jack's soon to be ex-wife and her new partner and snippets of the anniversary party which Nancy is missing. All hell breaks loose when Jack discoveres that Nancy isn't really his blind date and they go their separate ways, denying their feelings and blah blah blah, you lied, I can't believe you could do that, blah. Not to worry though, in true hollywood fashion everything all works out just the way you think it will.

Just go with it

image via StudioCanal

There is nothing supremely magical about this film, but it has it's funny moments (most of which appear in the trailer), and it displays a fair bit of truth when it comes to the messed up world of dating when you're over 30. A time when people no longer have baggage, but entire luggage sets, a time when suddenly your dating pool is filled with divorcees and people with children. All the things that make it all the more complicated when you're trying to navigate your way through the already tricky dating world.

The film is well set, cast and the directed, but there just isn't anything incredible about it. There are a number of films out at the moment that I would recommend you spend 20-something dollars on before you spend it on this, but if you are a Simon Pegg fan then you will enjoy this film. It's got some laughs and if you're a cynical non-believer there are moments that will ring true with you, but the ending will make you scoff.

3ish out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell