Man Up 2015

Sara Stewart, New York Post: A lot more fun than many heftier, supposed rom-coms, thanks to the timing and chemistry of its leads. Read more

Guy Lodge, Variety: For viewers still waiting for the indefinitely delayed third Bridget Jones film, Ben Palmer's easy, breezy romantic comedy Man Up offers a pleasant sense of deja vu. Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: Rather than aim for uproarious, it constantly settles for amusing. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Bell and Pegg, both terrific comic actors, mine small gestures and reactions for laughs. But they're at their best when they're talking, and they talk a lot in "Man Up." Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: Both actors stay sharp through some pretty degrading moments, and if Palmer and screenwriter Tess Morris are bent on serious button-pushing in the closing scenes, at least they garnish it with playfulness and wit. Read more

Michael Rechtshaffen, Los Angeles Times: Frequently laugh-out-loud funny and tangibly tender where it ought to be, the immensely satisfying screwball romp feels freshly contemporary even as it largely conforms to genre conventions. Read more

Andrew Lapin, NPR: With a lot of help from Bell and Pegg, the movie cheerfully suggests it's possible to stage a lighthearted romance without dropping off your brain beforehand. Read more

Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: "Man Up" ... has just enough edge to distinguish it from a Lifetime movie. It also has Lake Bell and Simon Pegg, versatile and likable actors who help the mild story considerably. Read more

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com: There are enough twists, turns and strange little bumps in the road to make this well-traveled journey to romantic comedy bliss surprisingly worthwhile. Read more

Nathan Rabin, Globe and Mail: Bell and Pegg are utterly defeated by a screenplay that favours plot over characterization to an almost surreal, parodic degree. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: Aside from the silly title and disappointingly pat ending, even the rom-com-averse will find something to love about Man Up. Read more

Cath Clarke, Time Out: Lake Bell is so goofy and likeable, I found myself willing the film to keep up with her. Read more

Liz Braun, Toronto Sun: Man Up has a couple of bits that don't quite work and the ending is just silly, but for the most part, Pegg and Bell carry this thing through sheer force of personality. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: From start to almost finish, "Man Up", directed by Ben Palmer from a terrific script by Tess Morris, sustains a remarkably high level of verbal invention. Read more