Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Synopsis

Nick (Michael Cera, Superbad, Juno) is a sweet muscian who gets dumped on his birthday by his girlfriend Tris. Norah (Kat Dennings, 40 Year Old Virgin) is straight and narrow, but the night she meets Nick she breaks all the rules. Norah asks Nick to play her boyfriend for 5 minutes to prove something to her classmate Tris, not realizing that Nick is Tris’ ex boyfriend. This all leads to a crazy night of adventure in this teen romantic comedy.

Review

Ahhh, young budding love. How can you not root for it? This is a movie definitely for the high-schoolers and young college age kids. I can see them getting into it a lot because of the music, content, and the actors. Heck, I liked it and I’m MANY years past my college days. I myself though could have waited until it came out on DVD and not skipped a beat. It’s funny, but not “Oh, I’m laughing soooo hard my stomach aches” kind of funny. There’s romance, but not “Oh, how beautiful the stars look in the sky” kind of romance. There’s an interesting premise, but not “Oh, this premise is da bomb. Ain’t nothin’ like it” kind of premise. The premise is just a teen movie with a somewhat unique twist.

In Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Nick (Cera) plays a broken-hearted teenager that has it BAD for his conceited ex-girlfriend Tris (Alexis Dziena, Fool’s Gold). Chicky-babe dumped Nick on his birthday and the poor sap makes her countless personal mix CDs that she can care less about. Tris’ classmate Norah (Kat Dennings) meets Nick for the first time at a club where Nick’s band is playing. She begs him to pretend to be her man for a few minutes. Girlfriend leans in and gives him a smoochy-smooch right in front of Tris to prove she can get a man too. Mmmm. I know Tris was fit to be tied.

Well, Nora had no clue that he is Tris’ Nick and she knows all about him. It’s a crazy night in the life of teenagers. Norah’s friend Caroline (Ari Graynor, An American Crime) gets super drunk and Nick’s band mates offer to take her home and of course lose her somehow. So they all spend there night trying to find Caroline and some band called Fluffy that leaves clues all around town as to where they’d be playing. Yeah…whatever. Just tell me where ya’ll playing at."

Why is there always a friend who drinks like a fool and ruins our night? I’ve had that happen to me on a few occasions. I remember this one time about 9 years ago when a friend of mine got drunk and this was also in front of my co-workers and boss. Ohhh heck no. I know my boss was very young at the time, but it’s still my boss. My friend was trying to say she was going to drive home. Uhhhh no! I don’t think so mamacita. The fool could barely walk. Ugh, the humiliation.

Luckily, this movie has Cera. His face is recognizable, and he really adds to the picture. He’s such a natural. He was very good in Superbad and Juno. There’s something very innocent about him that instantly has you rooting for him.

Hold up—one problem though. There’s a pattern that I’m seeing with Cera and the parts he plays. THEY ARE ALL THE DAG ON SAME! He’s always some sweet, awkward teenager who gets the girl even though you wouldn’t expect him too. If he plays in one more movie as the same type of character, it might be too late for him to jump out of that type cast. I think Michael will have to do one of two things or both to make sure he has a long Hollywood career. The first thing is a physical transformation to Hollywood stardom:

• He needs to bulk up. He can go on and jump his butt in the Yugo and make his way to GNC, purchase some power shakes, and gulp them down.
• Get a personal trainer to help him get that little boy body in shape so he can look like a like MAN.
• Get some Mystic Tan. He’s a tad bit anemic looking.
• Cut that mess of hair and throw some Paul Mitchell up in it."

So now…he’s ready to play in some action films. Go Michael!

Okay, the second thing Michael should do is play a PSYCHO. Yes, you read it right…a psycho. I’m talking one twisted *amp*!^@*. You can’t go wrong with a good psychological thriller and the lead character plays all kinds of mind games and gets his kill on. Mmm. I need to be his agent.

Anyhoo, through out this wild night Nick and Norah start smiling and have little twinkles in their eyes. Ahhhh… Cute little romantic comedy Infinite Playlist is. You can see and feel Nick and Norah falling in like with each other. It’s real, tender and kiddie like.

Yes, there are tons of obstacles in this flick and there really isn’t any major climax except for a real one…shhhhh." Oh, and everyone running into their exes. Ooooh how climatic.
“They” were saying that this film was going to be the 2008 version of the best of the 80’s films like 16 Candles. Uh..I’m here to tell ya’ll it AIN’T. 16 Candles is a classic. I can see Infinite Playlist being forgotten in a short amount of time.

This flick is at least a rent-a-movie, and for some it will be perfectly fine for basic cable, and others—young folk—will be fine checking it out at the theater. Even a little Yugo car has a major part in the movie. When was the last Yugo sold in the US…like 1991? Okay… And check out the nasty scenes with some chewing gum. I swear the gum had a story of it’s own. I’ll just say…YUCK!!!

My Rating ~ 2 Reels

Audience Rating (What's Yours?)