I Love You, Man (2009)

83% of critics liked it
(197 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(1,509,364 ratings)

Engaged to the woman of his dreams yet uncomfortable with the prospect of not having a best man for his upcoming wedding, a successful real estate agent with no male friends schedules a series of "man dates" in hopes of finding a suitable candidate for the big day. Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is just… More Engaged to the woman of his dreams yet uncomfortable with the prospect of not having a best man for his upcoming wedding, a successful real estate agent with no male friends schedules a series of "man dates" in hopes of finding a suitable candidate for the big day. Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is just like most other guys, only when it comes to making friends he's always been a bit withdrawn. After proposing to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones), however, Peter quickly realizes that he doesn't even have any friends close enough to qualify for the role of best man. And what better method to find the perfect best man than to spend some time getting to know the most qualified candidate for the position? While most of Peter's "man dates" are incredibly awkward from the very beginning, the desperate bridegroom is surprised to hit it off with Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) on their very first meeting. Sydney is charming, personable, and opinionated, and before long he and Peter have become inseparable. But this isn't exactly what Zooey had in mind, because the closer that Peter grows to his new "bro," the further he drifts from the woman who will soon be his wife. Now, with the wedding closing in and the drama heating up, Peter begins to ponder a means of staying good friends with Sydney while still remaining true to the woman he loves. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Ivan Reitman, John Hamburg
Written By: John Hamburg
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 20, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Aug 11, 2009
Studio: Dreamworks/Paramount

Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
I Love You, Man is the second movie this year -- He's Just Not That Into You being the first -- with a popular catchphrase for its title. This is one of the film's few distinctions.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
It's a thin premise, and I Love You, Man features the usual quota of jokes involving masturbation, projectile vomiting and flatulence. But is it worth it? Thanks to Rudd and Segel (and some terrific cameos), totes magotes.
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
The picture is worth catching for the delicate and toxic nuances of Rudd's performance.
Dana Stevens, Slate
Though the script doesn't always rise to their level, I Love You, Man is more than worth seeing for the chemistry between the shambling Segel and the endlessly inventive Rudd.
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
It's a hilarious comedy made even more successful because so much of the satire seems fresh.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
The marvelous thing about John Hamburg's new comedy, I Love You, Man, is that rather than conforming to fit into some preexisting trend, it recognizes and even exalts in the reality that close male friendships can be a source of confusion and awkwardness.
Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out Chicago
If Rudd steals the show, Segel deserves props for downplaying Sydney's regressiveness.
Neil Pond, American Profile
It's hard not to like this witty, well-made celebration of friendship in which two very different guys come to know and appreciate each other.
Stella Papamichael, Digital Spy
For both men though, it's the sincerity lurking just beneath the bravado which sets the film apart from the abrasive comedy it might have been.
Joshua Starnes, ComingSoon.net
At the end of the day it is a pretty formulaic bromantic comedy, and the little bit of a twist it has can't hide that fact. But it's done really, really well and that counts for a lot.
Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
The film is a microcosm of us all, guys - raucous, juvenile and puerile on the outside, but tender, sweet and vulnerable in our hearts.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Pays respect to the crucial role male bonding plays in adulthood...
Simon Miraudo, Quickflix
We all know where the film is heading, but that's hardly the point. Rudd and Segel are such entertaining guides you're willing to follow them anywhere.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
The movie's not bad, but I just cringed almost every time he threw down a cheesy made-up nickname for someone or changed words.
Jason Zingale, Bullz-Eye.com
Thanks to the incredible chemistry of its two leads, I Love You, Man stands as one of the best buddy comedies since Swingers.
Matthew Pejkovic, Matt's Movie Reviews
Feel the man love with I Love You, Man, a constantly entertaining comedy about marriage, love, and friendship which is aimed towards adults.
Scott A. Mantz, Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews
One of the funniest movies in a long time.
Dave White, Movies.com
It's a solid entry in the we're-guys-who-are-kinda-sorta-maybe-growing-up-but-maybe-not genre, but when tedium threatens to take over the cast steps in and keeps it consistently funny from start to finish.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Rudd and Segel, who both appeared in Knocked Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, make a fine comic duo, clearly two different types but not one-dimensional stock characters.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
The dude looking for a good grossout will be disappointed.

Read all 26 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Albert K

Hilarious. Meet-the-Parents-like movie.
Dean !

Much better than expected for this Bro-mance comedy! Quite funny all the way through, without being too silly, childish. Far from brilliant but good to see a twist on the rom-com genre.
Anthony L

It has its moments but there isn't much to I love you, Man but Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are both very likable and this helps a lot. It's basically a nice idea but feels like a story has been invented just to string a load of buddy scenes together, it's not all bad but… More
It has its moments but there isn't much to I love you, Man but Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are both very likable and this helps a lot. It's basically a nice idea but feels like a story has been invented just to string a load of buddy scenes together, it's not all bad but I'm being generous with my star rating. Me and my bestie are much more likely to sit down and watch Bill & Ted together. Hey, I'm a Hulk fan.
Letitia L

A hilarious movie exploring the subtle nuances of human relationships. It was brilliant to have the gay brother (I see you Andy Samberg!) to distinguish between straight dates, gay dates and man dates--the subject of this movie. Despite all of Peter Klaven's awkward flaws and… More
A hilarious movie exploring the subtle nuances of human relationships. It was brilliant to have the gay brother (I see you Andy Samberg!) to distinguish between straight dates, gay dates and man dates--the subject of this movie. Despite all of Peter Klaven's awkward flaws and your mutterings that you would never be seen with him in public, you sympathize for him throughout his painful montage of "Mr. Wrongs" and the audience is swept up in the effortless magic when he meets Sydney and everything just flows and feels so right. The 'moments of truth' that touched me most were when Peter could be honest with Sydney the way he hadn't been with anybody else in his entire life. Don't let him go, Peter! You're reminded what it means to find somebody special and absolutely root for them analogous to the way you root for a couple to get together in the end. Only 4 stars because of too much "awkward white dude" humour, it was 20 minutes too long and because Rashida Jones is the only eye candy in this movie.
Jeff "

I Love You, Man is one terrific comedy film with a great cast. Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, this comedy surrounds a story set around Peter Klaven (Rudd) who has no male friends and because he is getting married, has no prospects of getting a best man. He meets Sydney Fife… More
I Love You, Man is one terrific comedy film with a great cast. Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, this comedy surrounds a story set around Peter Klaven (Rudd) who has no male friends and because he is getting married, has no prospects of getting a best man. He meets Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) and they hit it off and become friends. I Love You, Man is a fun, good hearted comedy that has plenty of laughs. The script is well written and John Hamberg has made a wonderful film. There's plenty of laugh out loud moments in the film, and this film is a lot of fun to watch. The chemistry between Segel and Rudd is terrific. The film is very well done, and it's much better than most comedies that have come out recently. I thought that the idea was refreshing and used a totally different idea for its premise. The film doesn't try to copy anything other previous comedy, and its fun to see. The jokes are well thought of and this film simply is a hilarious film to see. As a fan of the rock band Rush, I thoroughly enjoyed their cameo in the film. I didn't expect it. I Love You, Man is a terrific, and because of its cast, it's far better than most films of this caliber. I think that this film is well done, and very entertaining. A well made comedy with plenty of laughs.
Matt G

Love this movie so much.
Bethany M

A funny film!
Kase V

The premise is very simple, but it works to perfection. The performances from these two hilarious stars are very memorable, and make the tried movie genre of bromances feel fresh again. In fact, it may be one of the best of it's kind.
Cassie H

Just a great comedy with an awesome cast. Paul Rudd & Jason Segel were awesome and Andy Samberg was great as Paul Rudd's gay brother. Rashida Jones and the rest of the cast were great as well. Just an hilarious movie that I want to slap da bass with :)
Sanjay R

The movie is very unique and doesn't rely heavily on its premise. Good chemistry between Rudd, Segel and Jones makes this movie.
Michael S

A wonderful comedy.
♥Robyn

Paul Rudd is getting married, but has no guy friends who can be his best man. In an unrealistic move, he goes on a series of 'guy dates' to find a friend who can stand at his side on his wedding day. light-hearted comedy.
Curtis L

I laughed a lot, which is always a good sign. Jason Segel is pretty good at being this character. Paul Rudd is good at making you uncomfortable as he bumbles around life. Not a whole lot of movies out there are about a guy with no male friends trying to get some. This is a good… More
I laughed a lot, which is always a good sign. Jason Segel is pretty good at being this character. Paul Rudd is good at making you uncomfortable as he bumbles around life. Not a whole lot of movies out there are about a guy with no male friends trying to get some. This is a good theme since it applies to a lot of real life people.
J P

I watched this movie at 11pm while I was babysitting. Some parts I thought were very funny, however I don't think it was laugh out loud funny like The Hangover was. Half way through, I found the movie kind of dull and I started losing interest. As you can guess, I fell asleep.… More
I watched this movie at 11pm while I was babysitting. Some parts I thought were very funny, however I don't think it was laugh out loud funny like The Hangover was. Half way through, I found the movie kind of dull and I started losing interest. As you can guess, I fell asleep. The actual story line was good, a man going on "dates" with other men to find a close friend to hang with. I thought it was very clever and funny. It just didn't keep me interested.
Spencer S

I can admit I was wrong. This movie turned out to actually be enjoyable, and the premise was good. No Apatow to be heard of, but his collaboraters wreaked of his presence.
Emily A

Believe it or not, this movie is way more romantic than Twilight. One of the things I like most about this movie is that even though it's mostly about men hanging out and forging bonds with each other, this doesn't happen at the expense of the female characters in the film.… More
Believe it or not, this movie is way more romantic than Twilight. One of the things I like most about this movie is that even though it's mostly about men hanging out and forging bonds with each other, this doesn't happen at the expense of the female characters in the film. In fact, Peter's girlfriend is a great character, and the filmmakers never fall into the trap of making her horrible in order to make the male friendship seem warmer in contrast. Sydney Fife is a bit of a conundrum, though. I found him a little bit repellant, but he's endearing enough to carry the film. The character I liked the most would either be Doug, the sweet gay guy who completely misinterprets Peter's attempt to make a friend, or Robbie, Peter's brother.
Richard C

I love this movie. A-
MisterYoda ?

The makers of the film tried to follow in the style of director Judd Apatow, you know add in some raunchiness, but not too much of it, but at the same time make it heartwarming and relatable. Like The 40-Year Old Virgin(2005), and Knocked Up(2007) where. The story starts with… More
The makers of the film tried to follow in the style of director Judd Apatow, you know add in some raunchiness, but not too much of it, but at the same time make it heartwarming and relatable. Like The 40-Year Old Virgin(2005), and Knocked Up(2007) where. The story starts with Peter(Paul Rudd) who purposes to his longtime girlfriend Zooey(Rashida Jones), and she says yes. And should be smooth sailing from there right, well not so much. Peter quickly discovers that he has no best man for his wedding, the painful fact is that Peter has never really had a male friend, most of his best friends are females. So Peter goes out on a search by going on a couple of man dates, in hopes to find the perfect B.F.F.. But comes close to giving up, until he meets Sydney(Jason Segel), a wild fun loving guy. Peter and Sydney soon become the best of friends, has Sydney shows Peter on how to be wild and crazy. But will it put a strain on his relationship with Zooey? One funny comedy, that hits it's mark perfectly. And a great bunch of characters, that don't over do it either. Paul Rudd is great, always, he had better chemistry with Rashida Jones and Jason Segel, then he had with Elizabeth Banks and Seann William Scott. Rashida Jones is also great in her role, although she doesn't quite get the big laughs, she endearing and believable in her role. Jason Segel was perfectly cast also, he managed to get some good laughs. And rest of the supporting cast are memorable. Including Lou Ferrigno as himself.
Jani H

"Slapping the bass! Slappa da bass! Slappa da bass mon!" A romantic comedy about men without being too much gay? Well, at least in some ways it's different. Paul Rudd's more known of being a stellar side kick to any Apatow movie available. Now it's time for… More
"Slapping the bass! Slappa da bass! Slappa da bass mon!" A romantic comedy about men without being too much gay? Well, at least in some ways it's different. Paul Rudd's more known of being a stellar side kick to any Apatow movie available. Now it's time for him to lead a film. But can he do that? Or will somebody steal the show from him. Someone called... Jason Segel? Rudd plays a man who has a lot of girlfriends and none male ones. He is going to get married but realizes that he's lacking friends with penis'. So, he starts going on man dates, on search of some good male bonding. Without being gay, of course. He meets Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) and his life will never be the same. Jason Segel starred in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', which was a pleasant surprise back in '08. He happens to steal the show from Paul Rudd, so again... It is not Paul Rudd's time to be a male lead. Yet. Segel's character is the more funnier and the films funny scenes revolve around him. It's only Rudd's job to back him up. 'I love You, Man' has some good scenes, like the garage band jammin' and some really good awkward dialogue. But does this film manage to be any different from all the other romantic comedies. Well, it does come up with a new genre called bromantic comedy but still, it's just as predictable as my mornin' piss without the overlong dialogue in the end.
Chris W

Now this is what I'm talking about!. This was a great movie. It's a real man's man movie. This was a pretty original and hilarious take on the romcom. It's bot hfunny, and really touching. I like that it addresses an issue not really focused on in movies-the… More
Now this is what I'm talking about!. This was a great movie. It's a real man's man movie. This was a pretty original and hilarious take on the romcom. It's bot hfunny, and really touching. I like that it addresses an issue not really focused on in movies-the importance of having a guy friend. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are awesome, and they have great chemistry. The rest of the cast is a sream as well. It was good seeing Jaime Pressly for the first time in like forever. Favreau succeeds in making you not really like him, and that's cool. It shows he still has talent as an actor. I'm not really a fan of Rush, I mean, I respect them, but it was awesome seeing a band like them get referenced so much in a movie, and, not only that, but to agree to a rare film appearance. This movie is just wall-to-wall laughs and heart. Go and see it-immediately!