The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.

Director:

Nicholas Stoller

Writers:

Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller

Stars:

Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Segel	...	Tom Solomon
Emily Blunt	...	Violet Barnes
Chris Pratt	...	Alex Eilhauer
Alison Brie	...	Suzie Barnes-Eilhauer
Lauren Weedman	...	Chef Sally
Mimi Kennedy	...	Carol Solomon
David Paymer	...	Pete Solomon
Jacki Weaver	...	Sylvia Dickerson-Barnes
Jim Piddock	...	George Barnes
Adam Campbell	...	Gideon
Eric Scott Cooper	...	B&B Manager
Dakota Johnson	...	Audrey
Jane Carr	...	Grandma Katherine
Clement von Franckenstein	...	Grandpa Baba
Michael Ensign	...	Grandpa Harold

Storyline

In San Francisco, after a year's relationship, Tom proposes to Violet; she accepts. She's an experimental psychologist, hoping for a post-doc at Cal. He's a sous chef who runs the kitchen when the chef is away. When Cal falls through and she gets an offer in Ann Arbor, Tom agrees to support the move, turning down a job as chef at a new restaurant. The move requires postponing the wedding. At Michigan, Violet is in her element, but Tom is underemployed and frustrated; he's Stoic for a while, but when two years in Michigan become four, Tom's frustrations boil over, and on the eve of yet another wedding date, they must make a choice. Is there any other alternative?

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Plot Keywords:

kitchen | kissing while having sex | reference to princess diana | wedding band | wedding ring | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about the journey between popping the question and tying the knot.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, and language throughout

Did You Know?

Trivia

Zingerman's, the restaurant where Tom works after moving to Michigan, is a real delicatessen in Ann Arbor that first opened in 1982.

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Goofs

Throughout the film, Violet and her colleagues refer to people taking part in their psychology experiments as "subjects". This term is no longer used in psychology (and has not been used for decades) as it is thought to be disrespectful and has unethical, dehumanising connotations. Rather, today psychologists use the term "participant" to refer to people who take part in an experiment.

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Quotes

Tom Solomon: How could you do this to me?
Winton Childs: I haven't done anything to you, Violet did something to you; not me. If a woman wants to kiss me I'm going to fucking kiss her. Underneath all that polite bullshit we're all running on caveman software. If she's got a husband, or a fiancé, or a boyfriend it's on her conscience, not mine.
Tom Solomon: You should run.
Winton Childs: Look Tom, this is ridiculous. Let's just put a stop to this now, please. Come on, I'm sorry. I really am.
Tom Solomon: Winton, if you feel bad at all for what you did then you'll run...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

An Extended Version which runs 7 minutes longer than the Theatrical Version, at 131 minutes was released with the Blu-ray releases in 2012.

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Connections

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

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Soundtracks

Bright Side Of The Road
Written by Van Morrison
Performed by Van Morrison
Courtesy of Caledonia Productions, Inc.

User Reviews

Pretty good film, mostly very good cast.

I will not address the narrative here in any fashion, my comments being limited to the cast and quality of the writing. On the latter the film was mostly good but at times seemed like it could do with a bit less. On the former I loved Alison Brie and Chris Pratt in supporting roles, and Emily Blunt was great, too. Other players were also very good for the most part. But... I felt Segal was a bit flat here, and that and the overall too long length led me to give an at times quite funny film only a 7.

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

27 April 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Five-Year Engagement

Filming Locations:

Beltane Ranch, Glen Ellen, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,610,060, 29 April 2012

Gross USA:

$28,835,528

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$54,169,363

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Apatow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min 131 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1