Three questions immediately popped into mind before entering Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. First of all, are the character names Nick and Norah a knowing reference to the 1930s Thin Man films? Secondly, what does the term infinite playlist mean? And finally, are Michael Cera's awkward teenager performances getting old?
The film doesn't really provide answers to the first two questions, but fortunately Michael Cera's Nick is not a retread of his earlier performances in Superbad and Juno. Nick, guitarist for band The Jerk-Offs, starts the movie mopey after being dumped by his girlfriend Tris. Norah (Kat Dennings) starts the movie off equally mopey for being an outcast at her all-girls school and being treated like dirt by people like Tris.
Through Hollywood convention, Nick and Norah meet after one of Nick's shows and fall in love while traveling through New York City in search of a secret concert performed by one of their favorite bands, Where's Fluffy?. Along the way, Nick gets over Tris and Norah finally feels accepted.
If it all sounds pretty typical, it is; but beyond the typical there are actually moments worth mentioning. Cera and Dennings have great chemistry together and their performances seem natural, almost as if they were real teens. In particular, Cera doesn't come off as completely helpless as he has in the past and adds a sarcastic edge that really makes this performance stand out. The friends that come along for the journey are also enjoyable, especially Nick's gay bandmates and Norah's crazy, drunken, chewing gum-obsessed friend who they lose along the way.
Also interesting is the tour of New York that the movie provides. Filmed on location, and shot in the middle of the night, the movie makes New York seems alive as the couple meets many unusual characters and visits various clubs in the city that never sleeps. These details make Nick and Norah a little bit better than a typical date movie.
17 Archives
Ethan Goldsmith
200810068892midsize.jpeg
