In The Five-Year Engagement, a couple falls crazy in love as their careers are on the verge of taking off – she’s an academic, he’s a chef. She gets the opportunity to do a post-doc at the University of Michigan, so he shelves the opening of a San Francisco restaurant to follow her to Ann Arbor, where she flourishes. However, he sputters and finally spirals into deep unhappiness. Can their love overcome all? [Yes – this is not Romeo and Juliet where everybody dies].
Of course, they have zany best friends and the usual maddening parents. And a move from the Bay Area to Ann Arbor (depicted as perpetually snow-laden, with occasional parades of reveling frat boys) creates plenty of comic opportunities, especially as he shops his skills in cutting edge cuisine among the local eateries.
But the best thing about Five-Year Engagement is the authenticity of the situation. There are no wacky plot devices; this story could all really happen – and is the narrative for some couples today.
Another plus is that Jason Segal and Emily Blunt are very good as the appealing couple. Overall, the cast is excellent, although the Australian actress Jacki Weaver, who carried Animal Kingdom, is wasted in a one-note role as a nagging mother.
In fact, I feel guilty that I didn’t like Five-Year Engagement more than I did, but it did seem to drag in places. Still, it’s a worthwhile romantic comedy.