Celeste and Jesse Forever

Bright Harvard grad Rashida Jones—offspring of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton—co-wrote this offbeat, low-budget comedy in which she stars as Celeste, a hard-driven “trend-spotter” with her own Los Angeles media-consulting firm. Dorky-ish Jesse (Andy Samberg)—Celeste's immature, lounge-lizard ex-husband—occupies a studio behind what used to be their house. Together since high school, the pair are legally separated but remain best friends who chant and do German accents together, primarily for their own amusement. While Celeste promotes her new book Shitegeist, she's fervently hoping that Jesse will grow up and get his artistic act together, which he does—only not with her. Jesse's stunning new girlfriend (Rebecca Dayan) becomes pregnant after a one-night stand, and Jesse is desperately trying to do the right thing. Meanwhile, Celeste and Jesse's bizarre behavior (they routinely indulge in raunchy routines, such as cloyingly playing with a ChapStick tube, carrots, and other suggestive objects) creeps out their about-to-be-married close friends (Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen). Unevenly directed by Lee Toland Krieger, Celeste and Jesse Forever unfortunately not only lacks engaging character development but also seems to drag interminably as it moves from one formulaic, cliché-filled scene to the next. The best moments here come from affable supporting players like co-writer Will McCormack, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts, and Chris Messina. Optional, at best. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include two audio commentaries (the first with costars Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg; the second with Jones, director Lee Toland Krieger, and costar Will McCormack), a premiere Q&A segment (14 min.), a “making-of” featurette (13 min.), deleted scenes (3 min.), outtakes (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so rom-com.] (S. Granger)