At this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Jason Sudeikis has established himself as a bona fide leading man. Yep, the man’s hot – both his on-screen presence and his cred in the industry. I already reported about his film, “Tumbledown,” in the Festival, but that isn’t his only movie at Tribeca. In “Sleeping With Other People,” he plays a charming schmuck who grows during the course of the movie and becomes a sweetheart that you want to take home with you.
Playing opposite him is Alison Brie from “Community” fame who is every bit his equal in the comedy and charm department. The two make for a pair as appealing as Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, and the story does borrow from “When Harry Met Sally” in that the characters decide that they will stay just friends.
In this case, however, they lost their virginity to each other while in college and meet up again in a sex addiction meeting. As filmmaker Leslye Headland (“Bachelorette”) has said, the movie is “When Harry Met Sally for assholes.” After having seen it, I totally get that.
It’s a Harry and Sally for 2015 with plenty of edge and raunchy humor to go around. In fact, it’s edgy enough that some people just plain aren’t going to like it. But those of us who do will probably like it a LOT. Updating the “edgy” scene from the aforementioned Nora Ephron flick in which Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm at a diner, “Sleeping With Other People” includes a scene in which Jake (played by Jason) uses a bottle to school Lainey (played by Alison) in the art of fingering herself.
Yeah, you’re right, these two aren’t going to manage to stay just friends for long, and the ending leads exactly where a romcom has to lead. But it’s how they get there that’s decidedly fresh, funny, and often sweet (in a good way).
Plus, the supporting players – Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet, Adam Scott, Jason Mantzoukas, and Andrea Savage – bring plenty of their own funny.
In short, I really enjoyed this film and look forward to seeing it again. I’m sorry to say there isn’t a trailer yet, but check it out when it comes to theaters.
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