Film: Wanderlust
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston
Directed by: David Wain

The writing team of David Wain and Ken Marino have delivered the year’s first truly laugh-out-loud comedy.

In the weeks leading up to seeing Wanderlust, I somehow managed to avoid any teaser, preview, or other type of revealing promotional material. A press release and poster had informed me Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd were starring in the film, which failed to spark much interest in me as any February release with a star couple usually means mediocre rom-com, but then my eye ran across the names David Wain and Ken Marino and I knew a unique cinematic experience was surely in store.

Opening today, Wanderlust follows a married couple named George (Rudd) and Linda (Anniston) as they journey from their lives in New York City to Georgia after career complications leave them unable to afford their upscale, albeit tiny apartment. They originally intend to live with George’s brother, a brand-obsessed egomaniac named Rick, and his depressed wife Marissa, but things take an interesting twist when they discover an “intentional community” that promises freedom from corporations, love, and a simpler life. Left at their wits end with society, the couple decide to spend two weeks living at with the members of the community, whose “uniqueness” varies from being nudists to a wheelchair-bound Alan Alda, to see if this alternative way of living is right for them.

From the onset, Wanderlust plays like your average mainstream romantic comedy, but the comedy hinges quickly become undone when the couple arrives at the Elysium community. From the cast of characters, to the variety of sequences and interactions they have with the couple, Wain and Marino lace mainstream familiarity with borderline filthy oddball humor and its this pairing that carries the movie to a new echelon of entertainment. Even Aniston, who is cinematically known for her work in underwhelming comedies (Just Go With It, The Switch) and schmaltz-heavy dramas (Marley & Me), hits career-high moments of hilarity while finding a balance with her proven romcom character portrayal.

Most reviews I write reference at least a few key points in films, but the exact reason I stay vague about Wanderlust is why you need to see it. From beginning to end, Wanderlust offers audiences a plethora of laugh-out-loud moments, emotional sincerity, and memorable one-liners that you will be sharing and regurgitating with friends for months to come. See it, no, see it twice. Not only is this the best comedy of the year thus far, it’s destined to be one of the greatest this year. Do not miss out.

Review written by: James Shotwell (Twitter)

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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