WANDERLUST
US, 2012, 98 minutes, Colour.
Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Mallin Akerman, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, Kerri Kenney- Silver, Lauren Ambrose, Linda Lavin.
Directed by David Wain.
Wanderlust is a variation on the American romantic comedy. This time the central characters are middle-aged, and are played by Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston, George and Linda, each at their best. They play a couple, married for some time, wanting to buy an apartment in New York City, a studio loft – and there are amusing interchanges between the couple and the agent, played by veteran Linda Lavin in very dry style – but he loses his boring job when his company is close because of fraud and she has her ambitions thwarted when she tries to pitch to HBO a documentary about penguins with testicular cancer! They can’t afford the loft and go out on the road.
On the way to George’s brother in Atlanta, they veer into a motel which turns out to be a commune, after they are initially disturbed by finding a nudist on the path. They stay overnight, partly drawn into the communal life, the commune having been founded in 1971 with Alan Alda still there after almost 40 years. However, the leader of the commune, acting very much like a bearded charismatic sect leader is Seth, played by Justin Theroux (interestingly several years before he and Jennifer Aniston were married in real life). There are assorted other characters, especially Kathryn Hahn as an angry woman eager to burst out at any provocation, a mixed crowd race couple, and a friendly woman organiser as well as an over-friendly woman who advocates of free love principle of the commune.
George and Linda have varying experiences, George finding the group intrusive, although he indulges in physical exercises for exercising angers, but can’t accept the open group where Linda is encouraged to tell the truth about all her difficulties and emotions against George. Linda is wary at first, then she joins in the spirit of the commune, even opened to the principle of free love – which George really is not.
Another complication is that a company wants to buy the grounds and they want to find the deed of ownership so that the commune leader can keep the commune – which leads to some shady behaviour on the part of Seth. There are scenes of protest and resistance, Linda joining in bare-breasted protest which finishes up on television.
There are many satiric moments, especially George’s visit to his brother and the brother’s boast about himself, his company, his wealth, his wife and his house.
Ultimately, there is happy ending, especially as regards the nudist who is trying to write his novel, initially not approved of by George, but revising with George enthusiastic – and Geroge and Linda forming a publishing company, Wanderlust.
The film was directed by David Wain, a friend of Paul Rudd who appeared in Wain’s films like Ten, Role Models.
1. A variation on the romantic comedy? A middle-aged couple? Careers, homes? Difficulties, on the road, communes?
2. New York life, the US road, the commune, affluent life in Atalanta? The musical score?
3. The commune, the property, housing, the interiors of the buildings, common life? The hippie tradition, nudist, moral freedoms…? Founded in 1971?
4. The title, the experience of George and Linda? The end and their publishing company?
5. The basic situations: George, his boring job, income, discussions with his friend, the company folding, his being fired? Linda, her documentary about the penguins with testicular cancer, the cynical producers? Their wanting to buy the loft? The estate agent, deadpan arguments and explanations? Buying the loft? Small, settling in, the brother ringing from Atlanta, looking at everything by Skype, comparing his own way of life? The loss of jobs, going to the agent, trying to sell again, double talk?
6. Going on the road, singing, talking, hopes, tired, the motel, the nudist, crashing the car, their fears?
7. The personalities at the commune, welcoming George and Linda, the room, tired, going downstairs, George playing, singing and dancing? The drugs? The change of attitude? Puzzles? George and Linda having different attitudes towards the commune?
8. Carvin, Alan Alda and his veteran status, reciting the list of friends, his role in the commune, founder, 1971? His slipping out on Sunday to the diner to have ordinary food? Seth as the leader? The pressures to sell the property, the company wanting it? The disappearance of the deed? The irony of discovering it, Seth and his double-dealing, burning the deed? The irony that Janice was still alive, had a copy of the deed – and all the other people on the list were still alive and joining Carvin at the end?
9. Seth in himself, his manner, appearance, cult leader, alleged non-violence, his intervening in people’s lives, wanting respect, his language, the attraction towards Linda? The open group, George upset, Linda opening up, her frank statements? Seth and his work in with George, the exercises to eliminate anger? The irony of his deal? Wanting to go to Miami and buy a beachfront? Selfish, George finally confronting him?
10. George’s brother, life in Atlanta, his wife, the bravado, the lifestyle, the petulant son? Giving George the job, the two keeping an eye on each other in the office? His brother firing him, re-hiring, the jokes? George and his exasperation, leaving and going back to the commune? His second return, his brother’s wife and her knowledge of the truth, her exasperation, the comeuppance of her husband?
11. The demonstration against the developers, the bare breasts, Linda and her exposure, on television, everybody watching?
12. The women at the commune, Cathy and her welcome, explanations, the different room when they settled in, no door, the difficulties of going to the toilet with people coming in and talking? Eva, pleasant, seductive? Karen, rabid, the complaints, aggression, prejudices? Supporting Linda?
13. The husband and wife, the interracial marriage, the bland comments, the husband and his pleasantness, with George at the toilet, borrowing the car, it finishing up in the lake?
14. The novelist, the nudist, his ideas, writing his book, George reading it in disliking it, making comments – and the novelist changing it, giving George the manuscript, his liking it, the publication, the television interviews?
15. The atmosphere of freedom, free love, Eva and her attraction towards George? Seth and Linda? The ideas, in favour, not in favour?
16. Each telling the truth, the mutual accusations, George leaving, promise of the job, his not getting it, his return to his brother?
17. Linda, going to eat in the diner, meeting Carvin? The exposure of Seth?
18. The year passing, the couple together, the publication of the novel, their company, the television interviews, and the estate agent and her blind
husband – and his assuming for years that she was black!
