Ira & Abby

Ira & Abby was written by Jennifer Westfeldt, who stars as Abby and who also wrote and starred in Kissing Jessica Stein. I missed that but remember it getting decent buzz. Chris Messina's Ira is neurotic and nerdy but good-hearted and Westfeldt's Abby is an empathetic charmer who lives just west of centrefield. Without undermining Ira & Abby's merits, a basic encapsulation is that the movie is what would happen if Ross married Phoebe. Others might describe the film as Woody Allen without Allen's involvement. It is set in New York and it is a comedy about the messy romantic entanglement of opposite personalities, but to write it off as an Allen-template trifle isn't a fair judgment. New York and romance are rich, unique experiences that Woody Allen can't rightly trademark. Westfeldt's performance, especially, is lovely and provides an emotional weight that anchors the film. It and the excellent supporting cast (including Judith Light, Fred Willard and Frances Conroy) make the whirlwind courtship of Ira & Abby and its aftermath an enjoyable experience. Liked the Rilo Kiley on the soundtrack too.