• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Movie Review – Sleeping with Other People (2015)

February 22, 2016 by Scott J. Davis

Sleeping with Other People, 2015.

Written and Directed by Leslye Headland.
Starring Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Jason Mantzoukas, Adam Scott, Adam Brody, Natasha Lyonne, Katherine Waterston, Andrea Savage, Marc Blucas and Amanda Peet

SYNOPSIS:

A good-natured womaniser and a serial cheater form a platonic relationship that helps reform them in ways, while a mutual attraction sets in.

Another week, another rom-com, at least that’s how it always seems to be throughout the many weeks of a cinematic year. But whilst the Nicholas Spark train keeps chugging along, it’s about time we had a romantic comedy that wasn’t all fairytale and schmaltz. Sleeping with Other People, produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (Anchorman), is such a film to shake up the genre with its look at relationships and love in 2015/6, and if the age-old question of whether men all women can just be friends is still as ripe as it was when Sally fell for Harry.

Indeed the film takes many of its questions and cues from Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron’s ultimate rom-com (with some neat homages to The Graduate thrown in) and re-examines them through the brave new world. And Sleeping with Other People certainly is brave, choosing realism and frankness over happy-ever-afters and the like. Of course it has though moments, but it’s those that surround it that make the film so engaging and ultimately enjoyable.

Director Hedland, who previously made the hugely disappointing Bachelorette back in 2012, has been applauded by many as one of the brightest female directors around and finally with Sleeping she is showing such signs. Similarly with her first efforts, she takes her cues from Bridesmaids (amongst others) in treading the fine line between adult humour and flat-out vulgarity, only this time the balance is much better. It doesn’t always work mind, with some of the humour stepping too far and the final third becomes somewhat dull but for the most part, Sleeping… is great fun.

Much of the fun comes from two brilliant central performances from Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie, both of whom are at their best here. Both have struggled to find decent material over recent years, with Sudeikis returning to Horrible Bosses with its awful sequel,whilst Brie found herself stuck between light indie fare and equally poor films such as Get Hard. Neither have been able to build on the promise of Saturday Night Live or Community but finally they are given the right material to showcase their talents, with both equal parts charming and jovial.

It may have all the hallmarks of another by-the-numbers rom-com but Sleeping with Other People manages to be equally funny, honest and refreshing it is depiction of romance in the 21st century world. It’s not perfect, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a better film of its kind right now.

Sleeping With Other People will be available on DVD on February 22.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★  / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

Scott J. Davis is Senior Staff Writer at Flickering Myth, and co-host and editor of The Flickering Myth Review Podcast. Follow him on Twitter.

https://youtu.be/awfT2dB6YmA?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng

Filed Under: Movies, Reviews, Scott Davis Tagged With: Adam Brody, Adam McKay, adam scott, Alison Brie, Amanda Peet, Andrea Savage, Jason Mantzoukas, Jason Sudeikis, Katherine Waterston, Leslye Headland, Marc Blucas, Natasha Lyonne, Scott J. Davis, sleeping with other people, Will Ferrell

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Great Cult 90s Horror Movies You Have To See

10 Creepy Horror Movies Jump Scares

The Best Retro 2000 AD Video Games

20 Epic Car Chases That Will Drive You Wild

10 Great Action Movies from 1995

The Essential New French Extremity Movies

Forgotten 90s Action Movies That Deserve a Second Chance

10 Great Cult 80s Movies You Need To See

Dust in the Eye: Ten Tear-Jerking Moments in Action Movies

Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Classified Series: A Real American Hero Reimagined

Top Stories:

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

Great 2010s Thrillers You May Have Missed

7 Underrated World War II Romance Movies

Movie Review – Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2025)

Movie Review – Sovereign (2025)

8 Great Recent Films You Really Need To See

Can Edgar Wright conquer America with The Running Man?

6 Great Australian Crime Movies of the 1980s

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

The Most Obscure and Underrated Slasher Movies of the 1980s

The 10 Best Villains in Sylvester Stallone Movies

Classic Retro Video Games Based on 80s UK TV Game Shows

The Most Overlooked Horror Movies of the 1990s

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket