PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Review

From the opening second of Emerald Fennell's feature directorial debut that sears itself into your eardrums with Charli XCX's "Boys" it's abundantly clear we're in for a hell of a treat that is as pop-fueled and brightly colored as that introductory music track. Even as the music conjures images of pristine bodies dancing around pool parties that feature the color palette of a highlighter collection, Fennell immediately emasculates and disarms every male viewer that might already be dismissing her film by displaying what hapless, awkward grunts the majority of us look like when trying to appeal to the opposite sex in an alluring fashion. After immediately establishing the style in which she will relay her message Fennell's camera next wades in slow motion through a sea of nine to fivers scavenging for drinks that might hand them enough courage to approach vulnerable girls as the writer/director next establishes the key to Promising Young Woman: tone. Drawn from the anger of double standards and the (large amount of) satire contained in the line of thought that men could ever be more mature than women in any sense Fennell's screenplay - aided by a tour de force (and I don't use that phrase lightly) performance from Carey Mulligan - is as scathing as it is smart and as wild as it can be funny. It's almost contradictory how much there is to smile about while taking in the film given the serious nature of the topics being addressed, but Fennell finds such a satisfying way of conveying the revenge fantasy elements that it's next to impossible to not want to stand up and cheer every time Mulligan's Cassie leaves the room after delivering a gut punch of a one-liner to the creep she just taught a lesson. Fennell has style for days, obviously, along with what were probably notebooks full of stories about encounters she and her friends have had with men who seemed decent enough, but would still try to take advantage if the opportunity presented itself yet it is the way in which she is able to distill the daily indignities women routinely endure that ultimately reconciles the message with the mode. Promising Young Woman may be constructed to feel like an epic revenge fantasy and a sometimes sweet romantic comedy, but the situations depicted are unfortunately not as far-fetched as the calculated aesthetic would lead one to believe. To this extent, Fennell isn't interested in making a genre film as much as she is courting how cunning, meticulous, and self-aware one must be in order to exact revenge in the ways Cassie does here; she isn't trying to wipe the slate clean, she's looking to re-configure the establishment of that slate one piece at a time. In the immortal words of Paris Hilton, "That's hot" has never been more sincerely stated (or accurate) than when applied to Promising Young Woman.

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART Review

It was a given The LEGO Movie would eventually get a sequel, but it's kind of crazy it took five years for that sequel to actually happen. That said, Warner Bros. has certainly expanded the LEGO brand by giving LEGO Batman his own feature as well as delivering their only misstep thus far, The LEGO Ninjago Movie. And while there was some trepidation going into this delayed, but inevitable sequel given original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were no longer at the helm there was some hope given it was still their minds that conjured up the screenplay. Thankfully, Trolls director Mike Mitchell was brought on board and has successfully converted Lord and Miller's screenplay into a sequel that keeps things in step with if not necessarily surpassing the original. Of course, given the precedent set for the original and what it turned out to be versus the raised bar for the sequel and what it has turned out to be-that's a solid accomplishment and a resounding endorsement. That is to say, upon initially hearing there was going to be a movie based solely around the LEGO brand and the toys and properties they owned it seemed obvious the eventual movie would turn out to be little more than a cash grab; nothing more than one big commercial, if you will. To expect this was ultimately foolish given the creative team behind it as Lord and Miller delivered a witty, colorful, and (per usual) meta piece of cinema that took some unexpected themes and conveyed them in a manner that allowed the children to enjoy the toys coming to life while the adults latched onto those ever fleeting moments of innocence that come with raising children and attaching certain memories to their playthings. The LEGO Movie intentionally evaded everything audiences expected it to be, disrupting the status quo and turning heads, but how was something so inventive and appropriately rowdy supposed to then follow itself up with something as conventional as a sequel? Especially given the abstract qualities of the first and having to continue the same narrative while holding tight to the themes the first film so perfectly encapsulated? It turns out, the trick is to lean into such things even further; deliver the same goods in a different package and through different techniques. And though The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part might feel redundant in certain ideas, the ideas it's pedaling never don't need to be heard...especially when they're this creatively catchy.    

THE DISASTER ARTIST Review

Full transparency: I love Hollywood stories. This fact may be questioned when I tell you that I haven't yet read actor Greg Sestero and journalist Tom Bissell's book that documents the behind-the-scenes look at the making of, "the greatest bad movie ever made" that is The Room, but I assure you I am. I know, I know-this may be an even less convincing statement when I tell you that I've still yet to see Tommy Wiseau's 2003 film that Sestero ad Bissell's book, The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, is based on which James Franco has now adapted into a movie of his own with The Disaster Artist, but I assure you-I am. I listen to the You Must Remember This podcast, if that helps my credibility at all. The point being that, even without having little to no reference point beyond the handful of clips I've seen of The Room on YouTube Franco's The Disaster Artist is still very much an accessible and easy to understand piece of work that is as much about chasing one's dreams of stardom and realizing your own passions into a formidable career as it is a good movie about a really bad movie. That said, I loved this movie in a way I kind of haven't loved a movie in a long time. I mean, I've loved other movies this year and loved other movies more, but there is this unique relationship with The Disaster Artist in that it is a movie made completely endearing by the total lack of awareness of its main character and the complete willingness of the second lead to fling himself into whatever he has to do to make his ambitions become reality. Sure, some of these decisions are ill-advised, but the point is that, for an aspiring artist of any kind that feels the industry is designed to keep you out, The Disaster Artist offers a portrait of a couple of guys who decided to take things into their own hands and build their careers on their own backs in the most bizarre and questionable way possible. The idea that this story is being re-created by two brothers whom Hollywood has accepted with open arms and who book consistent, high-profile work is a little ironic, but so is the existence of this movie at all. This caveat of Hollywood elite making more money off of the (once) failed aspirations of those looking for a way in aside, The Disaster Artist is not a movie that looks down on those who want to create, who want to make movies, and who want to be actors, but rather it is a movie about embracing the struggle that finds great affection for the drive of these people that is made into a story worth telling for the pure mystery and oddity at the center of it that is Tommy Wiseau.

THE POST Review

The Post is as much a movie as it is a strict documentation of a sequence of events that deal in something as fleeting as time and the importance man places upon the construct of time. Time, by all definitions, is a mental construct used to make sense of movement. There is a great sense of the collusion between time and movement in the latest from director Steven Spielberg and how what man has created to help maintain order can also spin us into the very midst of confusion as chaos is so often categorized. Simply by defining how long something has the potential to be powerful or life-changing we set ourselves up for large successes or failures. It is no surprise then that Spielberg focuses not on the passage of time or how this fleeting thing called life is formed against the backdrop of the time we just so happen to have been born into or exist within, but rather how time is what we do with it. What defines our lives and the time we are able to spend on this earth is not simply how we make it through one day to get to the next, but by the actions we take, the strides we make, and the deadlines we set for ourselves and either meet or don't. It's a thesis based on the hope that nobility is a prized possession in any viewer that sits down to take in history as told by the movies. This thesis of sorts is meant to both stir something deep within for the pride in one's country that allows for, "the press to serve the governed, not the governors," while at the same time utilizing this message to remind us all that history undoubtedly repeats itself. One would be remiss to go through a full discussion around The Post without mentioning its relevancy, but more so-its poignancy-in relation to the present state of the world and the leaders that are in power; utilizing their power for personal gain and favorable poll numbers rather than in the interest of world peace. Our present day is not the world the characters in The Post thought they were shaping or being bold enough to attempt to usher society into and while Spielberg makes no direct indication of his intent the opportunistic quality of the project is enough to suggest as much. It would be futile to not mention such obvious parallels and why this film in particular feels more like a product of today despite taking place forty-six years ago. This isn't a negative in terms of how it plays throughout the narrative either, but is more a return to this idea of time, time as a construct, and how it isn't a neat and tidy sequence of events one can always apply a narrative to, but something that is forever reminding us, the human race, what we must do and what values we must continue to uphold in order to ensure our continued survival. The Post may not exactly be a revelatory piece of work, but it is certainly a direct and not so gentle reminder there has to be examples of the best of us in the worst of times.

First Trailer for THE POST Starring Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks

While director Steven Spielberg began and finished production on next year's adaptation of Ready Player One before even considering directing The Post, both films are now in the can with 20th Century Fox releasing the first of two Spielberg films in the next five months before the end of the year in a limited run before expanding wide in January so that it qualifies for awards consideration. Spielberg has undoubtedly made a great many films in his career and I genuinely mean "great", but as of late the definitive filmmaker of many a generation has felt like he's been on something of an autopilot setting with the likes of both The BFG and Bridge of Spies being fine by Spielberg standards if not feeling slightly half-hearted and a little more than conventional. While I'm anxious to see what Spielberg does with the material provided him by the Ernest Cline novel I am also more than intrigued to see what Spielberg was able to do with the stellar cast he was able to assemble (and in such a short time, no less) that not only sees the filmmaker reuniting with Tom Hanks for the fifth time, but working with Meryl Streep for the first-so you can bet your ass this thing is at least getting one nomination come the 2018 Academy Awards. The Post tells the story of the United State’s first female newspaper publisher of The Washington Post, Kay Graham (Streep) and its hard-driving editor, Ben Bradlee (Hanks) as they fight to publish the Pentagon Papers, which proved the government had systematically lied about the scope of the Vietnam War. The film, which comes from Spotlight screenwriter Josh Singer and Liz Hannah (a producer on Hitchcock/Truffaut), looks like a perfect piece for such acting giants to collaborate with a master of the craft as this first look at the final product hints at a film with plenty of big moments and stirring speeches while at the same time conveying a timely and important message about the importance and value of the free, honest, and respectable press. Make no qualms that rushing to get this film into theaters was no just a question of potential accolades, but one of addressing the current climate of our country as well. The Post also stars Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlberg, Zach Woods, Bradley Whitford, and opens in limited release on December 22nd, 2017 before going wide on January 12, 2018.

Full Trailer for THE DISASTER ARTIST

I've never seen Tommy Wiseau's 2003 film, The Room, which is famously hailed as one of the worst movies ever made, but I have seen enough clips online to know those who have seen it and have created this kind of cult film status around it aren't exaggerating in their claims. This is all to say that I don't know if I could even manage to make it through the whole movie, but I still may need to try and watch the entirety of Wiseau's film to fully appreciate the latest from director and star of The Disaster Artist, James Franco. With his latest endeavor, Franco has adapted Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell's book that documents the behind-the-scenes look at the making of, "the greatest bad movie ever made." There is something of a little bit of what one could call anger or resentment at the moment as the film just debuted as part of the "Midnight Madness" selections at the Toronto International Film Festival last night where I was supposed to be this week, but it's encouraging to hear the film is getting positive to rave reviews out of the festival with A24 dropping this full length trailer this morning to keep the hype train going all day. The fact this latest clip from the film makes me want to see it all the more is both frustrating and encouraging all at the same time, but I really am excited to know this will get a wide release and that it might in fact live up to the strange expectations I'm now holding for it. Franco has loaded the cast down with comedy names that range from his typical troupe of friends to that of recent co-stars like Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally. I'm also eager to see Franco work so closely with his brother, Dave, which I don't know that I've seen before and which looks to be a real highlight of the film if this trailer is any indication. Needless to say, this should really be something special. The Disaster Artist also stars Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Zac Efron, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver, Ari Graynor, Jason Mantzoukas, and opens in limited release on December 1st before going wide on December 8th, 2017.

GET HARD Review

The question I kept repeating to myself as Get Hard continued on and on was how could such a supposedly intelligent man be so stupid? There is a hint of something interesting in the beginning though so let's begin there. It is suggested in the opening credits sequence as the striking comparisons between the morning routines of the wealthy and the working class are displayed, much of the time in split screen, that the balance is more than off. It is imagery that much of who I imagine the audience to be will both recognize from both their real-life experiences and the dreams they have of one day hitting it rich. It demonstrates the reality of our routines and the fantasy that feels just out of reach. The most appealing thing about this choice though is not only that it establishes the worlds of our two leading characters, but also because it evokes a reaction. It is a moment of recognition, one that forces thinking audience members to contemplate not who each of these men are today, but the roads they traveled to arrive at their current destination. Even as the film continues through to after the title card it further demonstrates the reasons these two mean have landed in their current situations are due as much to opportunity and association as they are hard work. This begs the question of how much of a clean slate do we all start out with and if hard work is truly all it takes to get to where you want to be or does having the right people in the right places help significantly. The answer is, of course, pretty clear and it's obvious Get Hard knows that, but beyond this observation and the ability to display it provocatively one would think the film might delve into what it thinks of this predicament, an unavoidable one, really and use that fuel to create satire from the actual downfalls of our society. Instead, writer Etan Cohen's directorial debut, offers little more than a few inspired moments. There are some solid ideas that are glimpsed by the jokes that really land, but much of the time the film skates by on it's over-reliance on vulgarity and close-ups of Ferrell doing his schtick with nothing but the hope you'll laugh at anything Ferrell does supporting it.

First Trailer for GET HARD

If you caught Chris Rock's Top Five last weekend you probably saw the first trailer for the new Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell team-up. It's a nice strategic move for everyone involved as Ferrell has been absent from a solid original comedy hit since 2012's The Campaign while Kevin Hart is bubbling right below the surface of super stardom. Pulling these two together will do nothing but bolster each of their careers. I've been a Ferrell fan for as long as I can remember so I am genuinely excited anytime the guy has something new coming out and while his other 2015 feature, Daddy's Home, reunites him with his The Other Guys co-star Mark Wahlberg and will likely be of a better overall quality than Get Hard I genuinely enjoy Hart as well and am eager to see what their chemistry can bring to the table. In the film Ferrell plays a Bernie Madoff-type character who is sentenced to ten years in a maximum security prison for fraud and enlists the help of the man who washes his car (Hart) to help him prepare him for that sentence. You can imagine how this premise might unspool over an hour and a half comedy featuring these two and I am anxious to see the results of letting these guys just go at one another. Get Hard also marks the directorial debut of Etan Cohen who penned or helped pen the scripts for Tropic Thunder, Men in Black 3 and Idiocracy. Get Hard also stars Tip “T.I.” Harris, Alison Brie Craig T. Nelson and opens on March 27, 2015.

THE LEGO MOVIE Review

Upon initially hearing that there was going to be a movie based solely around the Lego brand and the toys and properties they owned I believed it would turn out to be nothing more than a cash grab, something to build the name (not that it needed it) or possibly expanding the brand may be a better way to approach it. Essentially, I expected this to turn out to be nothing more than one big commercial. There was little reason for it to be more than that, why waste such effort or creative juices on something that would no doubt deliver zero gratification in the end and would only serve as something to decrease further the credibility of Hollywood products and the way in which children's entertainment disparages its audience much of the time allowing itself to get away with body function jokes and funny voices rather than actual, contextual humor? So, why would directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who took something like the beloved 1970's Judi Barrett children's book Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and turned it into a witty, colorful piece of cinema that took some unexpected themes and conveyed them in a manner that allowed the children to enjoy the food falling from the sky while the adults latched onto the insight the story might be re-educating them on, but was at least delivering it to them in a new, almost inspiring light? That these guys went on to direct something like 21 Jump Street, a reboot of an 80's property that no one really put much faith in, and turned it into not only one of the best films of 2012 or one of the better comedies to come out in a good while, but a movie that used its interesting concept to delve into the strange dynamics of male friendships and the actual struggles it takes to maintain those types of friendships as each individual grows up and changes? That film didn't have to be anything more than a re-make slapped together by a board of executives to satisfy humor-hungry teens who move from R-rated comedy to R-rated comedy without a care, but Lord and Miller made it something more, something notable. All of that is to say that the directors have done the same here; they have transformed what could have been that one, massive commercial into something of a reminder, a love letter in ways to the spirit of childhood and how the imagination is just as precious as the adequacy we need to feel as adults. In short, The LEGO Movie is magical and reminds us of how simple it is to feel that little something extra.

THE KINGS OF SUMMER Home Video Review

The Kings of Summer was one of the first out of the gate, but has been the last entry in 2013's summer coming-of-age tales that I was able to view. It comes sooner after seeing The Spectacular Now than any other margin between the other films which may or may not detract from what I thought of the film, but as it is more easily compared to something of a mix between Mud and The Way, Way Back I was rather thrilled by what I received here in terms of conveying what nostalgia means to different people and why it is so vital to our existence. While it is difficult to say one is better than the other, what The Kings of Summer has going for it is a distinct set of style. In his feature debut Jordan Vogt-Roberts has enlivened the typical going-ons of the doldrums of summer to a couple of teenagers by infusing it with a lively sense of location and purpose in character that isn't so easily defined in script form. Not to take away from the script which has given the director and his stars solid, genuine characters to work with and a wry sense of humor that consistently surprises with its timing and wit. While the most obvious culprit of this highly funny film comes in the form of Moises Arias's odd man out Biaggio (and he is so awkwardly hilarious and random it will be what you take away from the film), but I was more surprised at the level of inclusion that Nick Offerman's character received and the level at which Vogt-Roberts seems to have allowed him to let his own sense of humor run free. At its core, The Kings of Summer is as much a story of childhood friends and making memories as it is the story of a father and son relationship that has had an unbelievable amount of strain placed on it due to the loss of the wife and mother in the scenario. Both Offerman and other feature newcomer, Nick Robinson, who plays his son Joe bring a covered mournfulness to their performances that tell us early on their is something more to who these people are and that we should stay engaged to get to know them better, watch them grow and come to realize how special and how humble it is simply living in the now. Good news for audiences is that it isn't tough to stay engaged given the caliber of inventiveness, writing and performances on display here. That it doesn't suffer from fatigue is a minor miracle, that it manages to turn out a few memorable moments to define itself bodes all the better for it.

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT Review

"The Five-Year Engagement" has a lot going for it, but doesn't seem to care too much for pacing or trimming around the edges. It is a good film no doubt, a very funny one that had a few of the most genuine laugh out loud  moments I've experienced in a long time. It has a stellar cast and a director/writer team in Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) that know how and when to bring the funny, the subtle, and the touching. Segel has become comfortable as the reliable slob of a charming guy. If his onscreen persona is anything like that of his real life, he has to be one of the nicest guys ever. I consider "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" to be one of the more recent comedy classics so to say I was looking forward to this would be a bit of an understatement. The only problem I had with the film was figuring out the gist of the title itself. It seemed a problem that was at first unnecessary and could be worked around in a much easier manner than the script seemed to have played it. Now, obviously this is a movie and I realize things happen in movies that in a sense "make them movies" while the conflict here would likely never take this route in the real world. In the end it comes down to the fact that the movie isn't really about the pro-longed engagement at all but is simply an easy way of putting that it examines the current generations need to postpone everything until it is perfect while wasting one's life away in the process of figuring it all about. It turns into people in their mid-20's who feel a little behind, but still on the right track who grow into their 30's and realize they've wasted enough time to put them even further behind.

Suzie (Alison Brie) won't give Alex (Chris Pratt)
the time of day when they first meet.

One thing I will say about "The Five-Year Engagement" that I really enjoyed is the steps it took to go beyond a standard romantic comedy. It created a fleshed out and realistic world filled with diverse and entertaining people. Whether we were in the couple's hometown of San Francisco or the cold days in Michigan our main characters are always surrounded by people who become a part of their lives as anyone naturally would when they relocate. For the first half an hour or so the film rolls along at a brilliant pace with joke after joke landing, even if some scenes feel unnecessary it isn't a bother yet. Tom (Segel) and Violet (the wonderful Emily Blunt) have been dating for a year and it is obvious to everyone including him how lucky and how in love with Violet he is. He proposes, she says yes and everything is going hunky-dory until Violet gets a position at Michigan University rather then the preferred Berkeley. Tom is an up and coming chef that was likely to be promoted to running his own restaurant soon but knows this is Violet's life long dream and is not going to allow himself to hold her back. he can cook elsewhere. Such is his thought and the rest of the audiences. Meanwhile, on the other side of things Violet's sister Suzie (Community's Alison Brie) and Tom's best friend Alex (Parks and Recreation's Chris Pratt) have a one night stand that results in unplanned bliss. The theme of the film being you can't always plan your life to work out how you want it, but instead you sometimes just have to let it happen.

From Left: Vaneetha (Mindy Kailing) Ming (Randall Park),
Doug (kevin Hart) Violet (Emily Blunt) and Winton
(Rhys Ifans) study their psychology subjects.

While the story made me worry prior to the film it was actually the one thing that impressed me more than anything about the film. What detracts from this realistic premise though is that Segel and Stoller are unable to sacrifice a joke for the sake of pacing. The result is that this throws off the tone of the film that instead sometimes feels like an extended unrated cut rather than the well-oiled machine of a movie the studio would release on average theater-goers. There is a weird part in the second act of the film where Tom and Violet end up resenting one another. While we could have seen this coming as Violet, from the beginning, seemed to fancy her Psychology professor (a great Rhys Ifans) a little too much, it goes to such lengths that the audience is almost convinced these two not being together might not be a bad idea. The only thing that saves the movie from sacrificing itself is the fact that Segel and Blunt as actors could probably create chemistry with a cucumber and when put together,  the chemistry is inevitable. They are both equally charming and appealing. They are the cool, but care free human beings every person of their generation aspires to be. The glue of their chemistry is what makes it worth sticking around till the end for. If it weren't for Blunt's way of making everything seem so reasonable and Segel's persona of the love-torn good guy the movie would have become too distracted by it's own universe to even allow these guys to re-connect. This is a movie though and the resolution that will "make it a movie" does happen. So, while the studio might have let them get away with throwing extra gags in the mix for an average Apatowian runtime, it would never allow them to release a tragedy rather than a happy rom-com.

Tom (Jason Segel) and Tarquin (Brian Posehn) become
fast friends in The Five-Year Engagement.

While there are clearly several issues I could take with "The Five-Year Engagement" there is also alot to love and no matter how random it became or how overly long it seemed to last, I wasn't ever mad or irritated by the fact it wasn't over yet. Again, it comes down to the people. Director Stoller not only hit a home run with the pairing of Brie and Pratt who nearly steal the show, but also in populating the couple's Michigan settlement with entertaining folks. Mindy Kailing (The Office) and Kevin Hart (Think Like A Man) show up as fellow grad students at Michigan University and Segel's Tom befriends his alcoholic boss played to perfection by comedian Brian Posehn. Then there is the hilarious Chris Parnell. Parnell was never one of my favorite Saturday Night Live cast members and his movie roles have always been more of sparse cameos than anything else, but here he is the relentless stay at home dad that takes up knitting because he gets so bored watching his kids nap. He is present to serve as the embodiment of what Tom doesn't want to become. he has let all of his aspirations go by the wayside in order for his wife to accomplish her career goals. Parnell balances his ridiculous dialogue with the tragic undertones they imply quite nicely and nearly steals every scene he is in. It is this kind of random humor and consistent hilarity that make these raunchy but sweet comedies work. "The Five-Year Engagement" is certainly not the best of the bunch, but it isn't like you're walking into a Kate Hudson comedy either. I expected slightly more from Segel and Stoller, but there flair for touching on real emotion while exploiting the funny of everyday life is still present here. I can't be mad, but I hope their next outing is a step forward rather then one in the same direction.

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT Review

"The Five-Year Engagement" has a lot going for it, but doesn't seem to care too much for pacing or trimming around the edges. It is a good film no doubt, a very funny one that had a few of the most genuine laugh out loud  moments I've experienced in a long time. It has a stellar cast and a director/writer team in Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) that know how and when to bring the funny, the subtle, and the touching. Segel has become comfortable as the reliable slob of a charming guy. If his onscreen persona is anything like that of his real life, he has to be one of the nicest guys ever. I consider "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" to be one of the more recent comedy classics so to say I was looking forward to this would be a bit of an understatement. The only problem I had with the film was figuring out the gist of the title itself. It seemed a problem that was at first unnecessary and could be worked around in a much easier manner than the script seemed to have played it. Now, obviously this is a movie and I realize things happen in movies that in a sense "make them movies" while the conflict here would likely never take this route in the real world. In the end it comes down to the fact that the movie isn't really about the pro-longed engagement at all but is simply an easy way of putting that it examines the current generations need to postpone everything until it is perfect while wasting one's life away in the process of figuring it all about. It turns into people in their mid-20's who feel a little behind, but still on the right track who grow into their 30's and realize they've wasted enough time to put them even further behind.