Not much of this week has been planned. Current events interposed themselves and could not be ignored. Other songs were selected by my muses and not myself. Today is no exception. This is not a song I had planned to cover. It is not even a song I knew existed twenty-four hours ago. Ok, after I heard it last night, I knew I knew it from somewhere but there was no way I'd have been able to name it or tell you even where I'd heard it before.
I heard this song last night when I finally got around to watching Two Night Stand. Two Night Stand stars Miles Teller and Analiegh Tipton. Teller is a darling of the indie film scene. He first impressed them in The Spectacular Now and gained further acclaim from the pudding-eating cowboy crowd with his performance in Whiplash. You may recognize that last one, J. K. Simmons won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as the music instructor. Teller is better know to the hoi palloi for his roles in Project X, Divergent, and the new Fantastic Four trailer. He's not the reason I watched this movie.
The reason I watched Two Night Stand is Analeigh Tipton. If Analeigh Tipton were known it would be for her roles in Warm Bodies, and Crazy, Stupid Love. But apparently no one noticed her beauty, humor, and poise in those films because if they had more people would have tuned into Manhattan Love Story and it would not have been cancelled seven episodes in. I first became aware of Ms. Tipton in her role as Steve Carrell's babysitter, Jessica Riley, in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Girls like Jessica are the reason that mothers everywhere do not let fathers drive the babysitter home alone. Dreams of girls like Jessica are the reason websites like Brazzers make so much money.
Analeigh Tipton should really be a star. She is pretty and funny but retains girl-next-door qualities that make her seem accessible and not unobtainable. Her fashion career shows that she has the raw good looks to hang with anyone on the screen, big or small. Her acting is more than sufficient to carry the lead in a typical romantic comedy and Two Night Stand is a pretty typical romantic comedy.
Ignore the reviews. The reviewers are asking this movie to deliver on things unpromised. The reviewers say things like, "Had screenwriter Mark Hammer committed to the idea of two people who aren’t right for each other conducting a temporary sexual workshop—or even a temporary romantic workshop, for that matter—he might have created the template for something unique. Instead, the movie heads straight for the most predictable destination, ..." Viewers come in expecting certain tropes when they watch films. I don't tune in to a revenge flick and expect the protagonist to fail. I don't watch Airplane because of its complex characterizations. And when I watch romantic comedies I expect the leads to end up together. This movie delivers everything it promises.
This movie is not the best ever made in its genre, but if you like rom-coms then you are going to enjoy the eighty-two minutes you spend watching it. The dialog is smart and there are a couple of developments that you don't see coming, but they work. Alec's last ditch effort to win over Megan is more inspired than Lloyd Dobler's best effort. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would recommend it without reservation to any fan of the genre.
Often I just use the song as a jumping off point to post. But once I knew I was going to use this song I would not be doing it justice without including Alec and Megan's dialog from the scene in which the song is used.
Megan
Ught uh...
Ught uhn
Alec
Hmm hmm
Megan
Ught uhn You should turn this off.
Alec
You don't like this song?
Megan
Oh no, I love this song. It's gonna make me want to dance.
Alec
Yes, you should.
Megan
No.
Alec
Yes!
Megan
Trust me...
Alec
Oh are you like a bad dancer?
Megan
Ohhhh, no. No, no, no. I... I'm an epic, dancer. But you see, see, if you see me dance you'll follow me around like a little puppy dog and be embarrassing for us both. So, you have to stay here... for your own safety, trust me on that one.
I am no transcriptionist. I probably had to watch the scene twenty times to get the dialog. I still love the scene and would watch it again. I really liked this scene and I liked this movie. Do yourself a favor and watch it.
Later
Bob
PS
I almost went with Tigers by The Submarines which is played during the credits for the song from this movie but the rule is one song per day and the dancing scene is better than the credits.
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