The Five Year Engagement is a very funny romantic comedy about a couple whose relationship takes a turn for the worse when the fiancee, Violet, gets a job offer in Michigan and the fiance, Tom, is forced to leave a hefty promotion back in San Francisco for a lowly job at a local Jewish deli in Ann Arbor, a decision from which all relationship problems stem.The Five Year Engagement is directed by screenwriter Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow, who, as the previews never let the viewer forget, brought audiences Bridesmaids all those many moons ago.Starring Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, the film traces the path of two people destined for love after they’ve found each other, which is not a position most modern romantic comedies are inclined to take. The stars are both adorable, which naturally causes the audience to root for them to make it through the rough time. The humor covers all ends of the spectrum, from gorey to crass to slapstick, and that helps viewers connect more with the characters. Segel, who co-wrote the screenplay, 
gives a superb performance as the unlucky-in-love sous chef who harbors resentment throughout much of the movie towards his fiancee for forcing him to leave his job in classy, five-star San Francisco for Ann Arbor without a glance at his career. Blunt, equally excellent, impresses viewers by portraying the scattered, yet committed psychologist whose only clear goal is to pursue a career in the academic field, but who has seemingly no control over what she does, who she sees, and how she feels. Chris Pratt plays Segel’s buddy Alex who reflects time and time again how Tom’s mistakes have affected his future.
gives a superb performance as the unlucky-in-love sous chef who harbors resentment throughout much of the movie towards his fiancee for forcing him to leave his job in classy, five-star San Francisco for Ann Arbor without a glance at his career. Blunt, equally excellent, impresses viewers by portraying the scattered, yet committed psychologist whose only clear goal is to pursue a career in the academic field, but who has seemingly no control over what she does, who she sees, and how she feels. Chris Pratt plays Segel’s buddy Alex who reflects time and time again how Tom’s mistakes have affected his future.
Humor flows freely through each scene, but it is always accompanied by deeper issues like loyalty, commitment, fear, and regret. The cast excels in their roles, and the scenes, well-written and directed, seem to shift seamlessly from place to place, emotion to emotion. Although rated R, and with good reason, The Five Year Engagement has a niche in the realm of romantic comedies because, unlike most films of the genre about two characters who have yet to fall in love, it tells the story of two people after they know they’re meant for each other, and goes further to explore the more complicated (and rocky) journey towards commitment, compromise, and devotion.
