It's obvious right from the start: Celeste(Rashida Jones) and Jesse(Andy Samberg) are meant to be together. They have an easy, buddy buddy closeness developed through years of friendship. They know what the other is going to say, and even have those special inside jokes(usually involving masturbating lip balm) that tighten the bonds of any relationship. So it's a kick to the gut when we figure out that they aren't actually together. Quite the opposite, as they're actually in the midst of a divorce after six years of marriage, yet their friendship doesn't seem to have been affected in any way. It's a reality that doesn't make a heck of a whole lot of sense, and it rattles their friends(Ari Graynor and Eric Christian Olsen) to the point where finally something has to be done.
Ok, so we've all seen the story of two lovers trying to remain friends before, but Celeste and Jesse Forever is anything if a conventional and familiar romantic comedy. Co-written by Jones and her ex, Will McCormack, the intricately wrapped story forces you into the position of one of Celeste and Jesse's friends. Watching them be so friendly and spending every day together just feels....unnatural. So it's almost a relief when the inevitable split begins to occur. Jesse is a talented but aimless wanderer who has long hoped for a reconciliation. Celeste, on the other hand, is mature, career-oriented, and perhaps a little too smart for her own good. After a bad night caused by the complexities of IKEA build-it-yourself furniture, the two slip easily into one another's arms again. For him, it's what he's always wanted. The betrayal and hurt is palpable when he discovers it wasn't quite the same for her, and Jesse decides to get out there and start dating.
While the ironic title may lead one to believe the story follows both sides of the relationship coin equally, this is really a story about Celeste and how she copes with emotions she never knew she had. When Jesse finds new love fairly quickly with a beautiful Belgian woman, it sends Celeste into a tailspin of jealousy and depression that almost goes overboard, but the script maintains a level footing throughout. She embarks on a number of dates which go comically bad, and only add to her annoyance at how far Jesse has come. Celeste's tug of war of emotions, as she simultaneously roots for Jesse to be happy while also hating him for it, forms the basis of one of the most honest relationship comedies in recent years.
That honesty comes with a price, as their are some truly painful and hard-hitting scenes that may hit close to home for those who have fallen in love with their best friend, only to see things deteriorate and lose everything. Rarely a false note is hit when exploring the complexities of Celeste and Jesse's relationship. She sees herself as the mature one, but clearly it's him who has found a way to move on, and her inability to do so is all the more frustrating. Although the two are clearly perfect for one another, the strange reality is that they both can't really grow up while together. In a way that can only be described as When Harry Met Sally-esque, we see Celeste and Jesse's evolution over the course of months through a series of encounters. Another pitfall of falling out of love with your buddy is sharing the same friends. A true escape is all but impossible.
Fortunately, the film is full of talented supporting players who never let the momentum slip. Graynor and Olsen are fantastic as Celeste and Jesse's longtime friends, who are on the verge of getting married. That puts them in much the same position that Celeste and Jesse were in six years earlier, and we see some of that recognition reflected, although a closer examination might have been warranted. Co-writer McCormick pulls double duty as Skillz, a hip hop drug dealer who just wants to stay friends with everybody. And then there's poor Chris Messina, who can't escape being cast as the "safe" guy in every movie(like he did in Vicky Cristina Barcelona). Emma Roberts gets the one storyline that probably should've been left on the cutting room floor, playing a pop starlet that Celeste's "trend forecasting" company is designing a new logo for. They bond over guys and gush over one another, but ultimately it goes nowhere.
The soundtrack alone, which bears some resemblance to the work of Jones' father, Quincy, delivers some jazzy highs while also some effectively somber lows. Honestly, it's good enough to catapult this film into any "Best of" list by itself, but the performance by Jones seals the deal. She's always been an actress with a seemingly endless charm reserve, capable of elevating a number of thankless girlfriend roles into something more. Here she writes for herself a character who is believable in every respect. Celeste isn't the typical one-note rom-com protagonist. She's got a ton of issues, often contradictory, that make her a character easy to root for even when she's clearly making an awful mistake. It's her faults that make her genuine, and it pays off when things go her way. Samberg is an actor who has struggled to make the transition from SNL onto the big screen, but his chemistry with Jones here is crucial to the film's success. He still has the tendency to miscalculate a scene on occasion, although he's clearly on the right track and improving in a major way.
Lee Toland Krieger directs the film with an intimate hand, and lets his talented cast do most of the work. Celeste and Jesse Forever is a film not so much about fairy tale love, but allowing for one's own emotional growth. It also establishes Jones as more than just a pretty face, but as an actress and filmmaker with a real presence and unique voice.
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