Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

Don't you love those movies that take place all in one crazy night, with characters finding love and friendship and music and hilarity along the way? Me too! Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is a pretty good example of exactly that kind of movie. Heartbroken Nick (Michael Cera), still pining after his air-headed ex Tris (Alexis Dziena), is convinced by his queercore band mates to leave the house and play a gig in New York opening for Bishop Allen. Snarky Norah goes to school with Tris, and knows Nick only through the mix CD's Tris throws away. Her favourite band, Where's Fluffy?, known for ultra-secret late-night shows in the city, is rumored to be playing that night so she and her best friend Caroline (Ari Graynor) plan to spend the night in New York looking for it. The two girls end up at Nick's show, where Caroline gets extremely drunk and Norah, in an attempt to keep her cool in front of condescending Tris, makes out with pretend-boyfriend Nick. After a mish mosh of interactions, Nick's matchmaking bandmates Thom (Aaron Yoo) and Dev (Rafi Gavron) and nameless friend (Jonathan B Wright from Spring Awakening) hoist Caroline into their van to take her home while Nick and Norah hop into his tiny yellow car to search for Where's Fluffy? (also Nick's favourite band). Nick's obsession with Tris frustrates Norah, while meeting her sort-of-boyfriend Tal (Jay Baruchel) is offputting for Nick. Thom and Dev lose Caroline, who wanders drunkenly around the city for most of the evening, while Tris stalks Nick. The pair switches cars and objectives as they hunt for Caroline while still keeping an eye out for Where's Fluffy? clues. All this and more is happening with pretty cool tunes playing in the background (I felt pretty hip for recognizing most of the songs), and at the end everything wraps up like it should. Great job everyone!

I just had a really good time watching this. The story was interesting, not too complicated, and held the promise of satisfaction at the end- of course Nick and Norah will eventually realize they're perfect for each other, the question is how much semi-sarcastic banter must first be exchanged? The cast is wonderful: Ari Graynor plays a hilarious drunk, Michael Cera is as always an adorable wit, Kat Dennings is very likeable and intelligent, and the bandmates were just great. I like that they talked so much about music- it didn't seem to be in a pretentious, "look how hipster my movie is" way, but more in a realistic, this-is-how-these-kids-would-actually-talk way. The movie didn't do anything very special but it did a good job updating the falling-in-love-in-one-night story for a young 2008 audience. I haven't read the book it's based on, but regardless of how true it is to the source material it's still a really fun, laid back movie.

"Middle Management"- Bishop Allen
"Lover"- Devendra Banhart (it's their "song" if you know what I mean; also he has a cameo)