That Awkward Moment Review

Director: Tom Gormican.

Starring: Zac Efron, Imogen Poots, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Mackenzie Davis, Jessica Lucas.

Running time: 94 minutes.

Certificate: 15.

Synopsis: Three best friends find themselves where we’ve all been – at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when you have to decide, “So…where is this going?”

Tom Gormican’s debut film seeks to reveal the male perspective on the gauntlet that is the dating crossroads. When Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) discovers his wife is cheating on him, his two best friends make a pact to stay single alongside him. Rather than ninety minutes of ensuing mayhem as three good-looking men make the most of being young, free and single, the pact quickly comes under threat when Jason (Zac Efron) meets Ellie (Imogen Poots) and Daniel (Miles Teller) begins a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship with wing-woman, Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis).

Never quite finding its feet, the movie seems unsure of itself at times. Not quite an all out sex-comedy like AMERICAN PIE but certainly raunchier than some romantic comedies recently released, its haziness is transcribed to the audience in some plot-advancing scenes which seem somewhat overdone. Predictability is the film’s worst enemy and a scene in which Imogen Poots’ character interrupts boys’ night feels like it could have been cut from any other romantic comedy and pasted straight into this one.

The young cast are this movies’ strongest asset by far, managing to brush over the weak script and poor character development. Efron – whilst admittedly not awards-bait in his performances to date – will always draw in a certain audience with his ‘breaking hearts left right and centre’ routine. He is charismatic enough to pull off the young, successful book cover designer without the audience turning against him for his playboy ways. Miles Teller, who has been making smart role choices for several years now, brings a great believability to his character and again a likeability which could have been non-existent given some of the character’s actions. Expect to be hearing a lot more from this actor when YA adaptation DIVERGENT and Sundance double-award winner WHIPLASH are released later this year. Michael B. Jordan as the Doctor who discovers his wife is cheating on him probably has the least to work with in terms of script, but should be given credit for rounding out his character and having the audience root for him.

Despite this being a movie about the guys, it’s the females that really shine in their performances. Imogen Poots manages to bring a mixture of kooky, smart, sexy and funny to the role of Ellie and Mackenzie Davis is fab as the wing-woman turned hook-up partner who manages to snag one of the boys. The entire cast deserves more than can be delivered by this movie, but as an ensemble they keep the film afloat.

There’s a lot of films currently at the cinema vying for Oscar glory. If you need a break from the serious and the earnest, you could do a lot worse than spending 94 minutes watching THAT AWKWARD MOMENT.

[usr=3] THAT AWKWARD MOMENT is in UK cinemas now.