Ira & Abby Review

Ira Black (Chris Messina) is a prototypical movie New Yorker–he wears a lot of black he’s in therapy (well technically analysis) and he’s in the habit of over-thinking everything he does from his Ph.D. dissertation to what to order for lunch. Then he meets free-spirited empathetic Abby Willoughby (Jennifer Westfeldt) and everything changes. They’re engaged within hours married within a week and in couples’ therapy not long after. Meanwhile their long-married parents–uptight opera-going Sy (Robert Klein) and Arlene (Judith Light) Black and freewheeling easygoing Michael (Fred Willard) and Lynne (Frances Conroy) Willoughby–have their own issues to face. And their own professionals to consult. In the end everyone’s left pondering the true meaning of love commitment marriage and mental health. When a movie’s cast is as full of talented professionals as Ira and Abby‘s it’s hard to begrudge the fact that most of them are playing somewhat familiar characters. Messina‘s Ira is angsty conflicted and quick to question happiness–in other words every neurotic New Yorker Woody Allen ever played. Meanwhile  Westfeldt (who also wrote the film) works the same loquacious slightly kooky charm she perfected in Kissing Jessica Stein; you can’t help liking Abby even when you want to shake some sense into her. In the supporting cast Klein Light Conroy and Willard are all strong rising above the “conservative” and “hippie” labels hanging over their characters’ heads (it’s particularly nice to see Willard in a role that’s a bit toned down from his usual brand of cheerful oafishness). And familiar faces like Jason Alexander Chris Parnell and Darrell Hammond are a welcome too. Ira and Abby is only Robert Cary‘s second feature film credit; his first Standard Time was a musical and you can see some of that genre’s broad sensibility here too. Ira’s pre-Abby world is all dark colors cool light and sharp lines–but when he crosses into her sphere suddenly primary hues are everywhere rooms are suffused with warm yellow glows and furniture is for relaxing on not admiring. Unfortunately too many of the same kind of obvious cues direct the story as well. Westfeldt‘s script is smart and often charming but it’s never very hard to guess where Ira and Abby is going: If you’re looking for a “and then they got married and lived happily ever after” story you won’t find it here. Ira and Abby‘s perspective on marriage may be a bit more realistic than the Grimm brothers’ but you still shouldn’t recommend it to any newlyweds you know.