That Awkward Moment Review: A Mess

Relationships are hard. Maybe that’s why many people feel it’s better to be single and just have fun on the weekends. “That Awkward Moment” is a romantic comedy about trying not to be in a relationship told from the male’s perspective. It is also a mess of a film. Sporting a poor pace and lackluster laughs, it’ll make you beg for the days of Freddie Prinze Jr. romantic comedies. Yes, it’s that bad.

Three friends (Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan) decide to make a pact to stay single forever after Mikey (Jordan) found out his wife wants a divorce. Problems arise when Jason (Efron) and Daniel (Teller) start up relationships of their own and Mikey tries to get back with his wife.

The movie is supposed to answer “so…where is this going?” A question that arises in every relationship. What we get instead is a movie that is nothing more than a bunch of New York City hipsters having sex left and right and acting like idiots. There is almost no plot in this movie and whatever microcosm of a plot present is resolved in the most basic ways possible.

To top it off, Jason and Daniel are two of the most unlikable characters in movie history. Both of them say and do things that are meant to be comedic, but come across as groan inducing. Their antics make you want to go through the screen and choke them out. The “comedy” they use is nothing more than crude sex jokes that we’ve all heard and cringed to before.

Another thing, what is Daniel’s infatuation with Jason crapping in his bathroom? He makes it seem like he’s doing something illegal when in actuality he’s doing exactly what a person usually does in the bathroom. This gag is repeated multiple times in the movie and each time it doesn’t get any funnier.

The only likable character is Mikey. He’s the only character to have any semblance of a problem and personality outside of saying and doing stupid things. The audience cares about him trying to get back with his wife and all the problems that entails. Jordan is obviously trying his hardest to squeeze out a likable character out of what he has. He does a pretty damn good job of it.

Jordan’s performance can’t save this disaster though. In the end, “That Awkward Moment” is an unfunny comedy with unfunny and unlikable characters and barely any plot. Not even Jordan’s wonderful performance can save this movie from the bargain bin.