Three heterosexual males getting together to drink and Mahjong, conversations about f*****g an ugly and a haunted napkin drawing of a disfigured penis are all just little bits of what makes this film about three friends exploring the dating world so hilarious.
Jeff (David Ledoux) is involved in an open relationship with Abby (Amber McDonald), which would be great if he took advantage of it half as much as his girlfriend seemingly does. Jeff’s best friend Flint (Bryan Fenkart) just moved in after breaking up with his girlfriend due to her newfound grandma panty collection. Jeff and Flint’s friend Gray (Joshua Cary) keeps signing up for ridiculous adult education classes while his attractive girlfriend Reed (Maren Levine) begins her ascent into the art world. None of them have a clue on how to deal with an adult relationship.
The beauty of this film is that it never allows itself to dwell in its own self-importance. As the more dramatic moments grow, and the film starts to dance towards that precipice of “funny-gone-melancholy,” it stays true to its form as a comedy, and sticks to the humor. Sure, Jeff’s life is all torn due to fear of his girlfriend’s infidelity, as well as the recent revelation that his mother just left his father, but it never gets too maudlin, you know, that is until the obligatory “guys come to grips with their mistakes” romantic comedy montage near the end.
All the actors deliver, with Ledoux’s Jeff getting the straight man role, Fenkart’s Flint taking the clueless wise-guy and Cary’s Gray being that nerd that somehow scored the hot chick, despite the fact he’s one bad dice roll away from a goblin attack. In fact, kudos be given where properly deserved, Josh Cary’s delivery as Gray is spot-on hilarious. Half the time it doesn’t matter what he’s going to say, I’m already laughing.
All told, this is how romantic comedies should be. None of the situations involved in the relationships are particularly unique, in fact they’re downright average, but they’re played with the right level of objective importance, and therein lies the humor. “You Tell Me” doesn’t necessarily say anything new, but it says it differently and that’s what makes it great.
