Second Opinion: I Love You, Man vs. The Muppets

The Second Opinion posts will feature the opposite view of my Flickchart Battle decision. Here, my former podcasting partner, Mike Sheehan attempts to explain why the movie I didn’t choose is the one he would’ve chose.

Whenever you compare a comedy to another comedy people are going to get super defensive and mad because humor is so subjective. In this match-up we have two very funny movies and picking one over the other is just a matter of taste, and simply what you find funnier. Especially if both movies are well made and entertaining, which is the case here.

I don’t know if I Love You, Man had a vast advertising campaign, but I had never heard of the film until it was in theaters. Which is surprising since it was the follow-up film of Jason Segel after Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It was also starring Paul Rudd, who was on the rise in popularity. Upon viewing the film I laughed my butt off! I thought it was the funniest film Paul Rudd had been in, and Jason Segel was a riot. A cool story-line about friendship and love made it connect with me and audiences in general. I still quote some of the lines when talking people. And when this movie comes on TV, I will most likely watch it any time it’s on. But is it funnier than The Muppets?

Before I answer that, let me tell you how excited I was for The Muppets. I heard that Jason Segel was developing this movie, and man was I excited! I thought back to the puppet scene in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and hoped The Muppets would be just as silly and fun. The Muppets did not disappoint! It was big, it was epic, it was funny, but the thing it did best was remind me of my childhood. It was a perfect vision of what the Muppets always were at heart. Plus it had a cute story-line and an Oscar-winning song.

So which movie did I choose? It is probably fairly obvious but I will say this. Funny may not be something we can ever argue upon as a society, but as long as we are laughing then what does it matter what we laugh at.

Winner: The Muppets

This is why I picked I Love You, Man over The Muppets.

Flickchart Battle: I Love You, Man vs. The Muppets (2011)

This week’s match-up is a doozy! We have two light-hearted comedies battling out for my stamp of approval! In one corner, we have the bromantic-comedy with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel as Rudd’s character tries to find a dude to be his best man at his upcoming wedding. And in the other corner we have Jason Segel (again!) with his muppet brother Walter who help the Muppets raise money to save the Muppet Theater.

For the record, I love both movies. I Love You, Man is one of those movies that you hear about before it comes out, you look at the cast and the premise and say, Wow! This movie is going to be great! A lot of the times you’re disappointed, but I Love You, Man delivers the goods. It’s also a nice spin to those romantic-comedies we’ve all seen before that concentrates on the bridal party and who will be the maid of honor.

At the center of the film, Paul Rudd plays Peter Klaven, a really nice but feminine guy who realizes he’s never had any guy friends. Whether you can relate to this or not, almost every guy can relate to having a bromance with at least one of their friends, the way Rudd and Segel do. Playing in a band together, going to concerts with your bros, just basically hanging out without any bullshit that might exist in other parts of your life. When you’re with your bros, nothing matters except what you’re doing at that moment. I’ve embarked on numbers of epic bro time and we’ve always said, Dude love is true love.

You know what else is true love? Muppets love. There was a lot of hype leading up to this film and it most certainly met the expectations. The film was very nostalgic and the theme played into the plot of having all the Muppets reunite to save the legendary Muppet Theater. With plenty of catchy tunes, smiling faces, and hilarious bits, The Muppets is a film that will entertain adults and children, something not easily done. And how could you top the show-stopping scene of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang singing Rainbow Connection? Segel co-wrote the film and he (plus Nicholas Stoller) knew exactly what kind of movie the fans wanted to see. It showed the world that the Muppets are still in business and accumulated over $100 million worldwide, the most of any Muppets movie.

So which movie am I going to pick? While the Muppets was a fantastic film with plenty of heart, it doesn’t beat the guy-comedy of I Love You, Man. It’s like I’m sharing a bromance with the movie itself because I freaking love that movie. What makes I Love You, Man such a good comedy, on top of having hilarious situations, are the quotes you continue to say from it. I don’t think I’ve gone a week without saying “totes mcgotes.” And I haven’t had fish tacos in years, but the next time I do I’ll sure to say that they’re the tits. And who can forget the scene where Paul Rudd vomits all over Jon Favreau! The friendship that blossoms in I Love You, Man is one that feels real and that’s important to make sure the film never gets out of hand. It’s also what makes it the winner in my book.

Winner: I Love You, Man