Wanderlust (DVD REVIEW)

 

Wanderlust

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Manhattanites Move to Hippie Commune in Fish-Out-of-Water Comedy

            Happily-married Linda (Jennifer Aniston) and George (Paul Rudd) took the plunge into home ownership after being convinced by their realtor (Linda Lavin) that a “micro loft” in the West Village would be a great investment. However, when he subsequently lost his high-paying position, they were forced to sell the postage stamp-sized studio apartment at a big loss.

            Unable to afford Manhattan any longer, they decide to take up George’s brother’s (Ken Marino) generous offer of a job and a place to live until they can get back on their feet. So, they pack up the car and start the long drive to Atlanta. En route, however, they check into a bed-and-breakfast which is also a free-love commune which considers monogamy tantamount to sexual slavery.

            Linda is creeped-out by the cult but grudgingly agrees not only to move in but to have an open relationship to boot, in order to make her husband happy.

Soon, she seduces Seth (Justin Theroux), a hirsute hunk who serenades her with his guitar. George, on the other hand, has a harder time bringing himself to cheat on his wife with the attractive young blonde (Malin Akerman) propositioning him.

            Can this marriage survive the infidelity and incessant temptation? That is the recurring question posed by Wanderlust, a fish-out-of-water comedy that seizes on the flimsiest of excuses for gratuitous full-frontal nude shots.

            Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd succeed in holding together an implausible storyline whose saving grace rests in all the cheap laughs coming courtesy of simplistic stereotypes about aging hippies, hallucinating addicts, bohemian bimbos, insatiable sexaholics and naïve New Agers. The talented leads are ably assisted in this endeavor by a gifted supporting cast stocked with versatile veterans like Alan Alda and Ray Liotta, as well as scene-stealing comediennes such as Kathryn Hahn and Kerri Kenney.

            A humorous send-up of the 21^st Century commune as a hedonistic dystopia for spoiled brats who can’t cope with the real world. 

Very Good (3 stars)

Rated R for profanity, sexuality, drug use and graphic nudity.

Running time: 98 minutes

Distributor: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack Extras: Deleted scenes; extended scenes; alternative scenes; gag reel; Line-O-Rama; God Afton; Penis envy; The Elysium Campaign; Wainy Days – Elysium; and feature commentary with director David Wain, producer Ken Marino and star Paul Rudd.