Whether or not we want to admit it, British cinema is a flavour of the month affair. Seeing as everyone was done stomaching bumbling British romance back in the late nineties, you’d be forgiven for rolling your eyes at Man Up. It’s marketed as “The Best British Rom-com in Years, features Lake Bell spouting an English accent while Simon Pegg does his lovable everyman’ bit (yet again) and, last but by no means least, it’s called Man Up’, for crying out loud. Still, despite the cacophony of alarm bells just begging you do avoid it like the plague, it’s not an absolute turd – in fact it’s bloody good actually
seriously, it is.
Nancy is a cynical, sarcastic 34-year-old who’s done with dating until a series of mishaps and outright lies lead her off on an impromptu blind date with Jack (Pegg) – a stand-up guy who’s mistaken Nancy for some other girl he’s meant to be taking out. Shockingly, the pair hit it off and everything goes absolutely swimmingly until she lobs the inevitable spanner in the works.
While there are no prizes for guessing how everything pans out, Man Up does manage to surprise primarily thanks to the undeniable likability of Lake Bell. Her Nancy is confident, sarcastic and unbelievably smug, but the actress deftly keeps her on the right side of likeable even though her questionable actions make her a bit of a dick. Couple that with the undeniable chemistry she shares with Simon Pegg, and the ordeal of having to sit through the same regurgitated plot yet again isn’t anywhere near the chore that it should be.
Ben Palmer of Inbetweeners fame has directed Nira Park’s shockingly strong script with aplomb. Yes, the overall plot is more than a tad uninspired, but Man Up nevertheless delivers thanks to the undeniable chemistry, bold (but not overly crass) humour and its warts-and-all approach to relationships. It’s not without its flaws entirely, though – a British rom-com will always be topped with a good helping of cheese and this is no exception. Still, despite its predictability and moments of cavity-inducing sweetness, the tag-team of Palmer and Park has thrown together familiar ingredients and cooked up something a lot better than the usual fare. Even with its inability to leave any stone unturned, it surprises by making the girl be the conniving screw-up for once as opposed to the guy. Sure it does nothing to reinvent the genre, but it’s another element that helps to keep things remotely fresh.
In terms of specs, the HD image is as good as should be expected. The flick’s vibrant palette is reproduced well and the audio remains crystal throughout. Where the package shines though is in the extras. A painfully long 40 minute peek behind the scenes, an interview with the leads, a blooper reel and a trailer all pad out the disc and they’re all pretty terrible. However, they do show the undeniable fun that the pair had together during the shoot, so it’s unsurprising that that shone through on camera. Still, it’s bog-standard stuff and not really worth bothering with in all. Mediocre extras aside though, Man Up is a badly titled but brilliantly crafted retread through familiar territory.
Overall Verdict:
Despite every shitty rom-com claiming to be the best one in years, it’s not far from the truth in this case. A sweet, funny jaunt through what would otherwise be painfully familiar territory – just don’t be put off by the naff title.
Special Features:
The Seven Beats of Man Up’ Featurette
Interviews with Lake Bell and Simon Pegg
Blooper Reel
Trailer
Reviewer: Jordan Brown