Bernard and Huey

Bernard and Huey is a 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Dan Mirvish, scripted by Pulitzer Prize-winning Jules Feiffer, and featuring an ensemble cast that includes Jim Rash, David Koechner, Sasha Alexander, Eka Darville, Richard Kind, Lauren Miller, Nancy Travis, Bellamy Young, Jay Renshaw, and Mae Whitman among others.

The film revolves around the lives of two old friends, the titular Bernard (Jim Rash) and Huey (David Koechner), who reconnect after 25 years apart, leading to a series of events that reawaken dormant feelings, stoke new conflicts, and inspire personal growth within both men. The narrative's dyadic structure allows the filmmakers to explore broad themes of friendship, love, and personal maturity through the lens of old bonds under new circumstances.

Jim Rash, best known for his role as Dean Pelton in the TV series "Community", convincingly portrays Bernard as an intellectual, successful but lonely, once-aspiring writer, now ensconced in a job as a literary editor in New York City. His character is complex, straddling an awkward line between self-effacement and silent pride, tortured by his love life's tumultuous past.

On the other hand, Huey, portrayed by Koechner, who won the audience's hearts with his performance as Todd Packer on "The Office", is shown to be a boisterous ladies' man. Reentering Bernard's life like a whirlwind after numerous failed marriages and relationships, Huey balances a perceptible bitterness towards life with an endearing thirst for adventure. His hyperbolic masculinity is upended numerous times throughout the film, adding a depth of vulnerability to his outwardly brash persona.

The dynamic between Bernard and Huey is at once hilarious and heart-wrenching. Rash and Koechner's on-screen camaraderie works brilliantly to transcribe the complex symbiosis of real-life friendships onto film, portraying both the joys and frustrations of longstanding connections.

In the women, they encounter throughout their journey, personifications of myriad attitudes towards love, independence, and the power dynamics of romance are seen. Sasha Alexander gives a power-packed performance as Roz, Huey's estranged daughter. Mae Whitman delivers an engaging and dynamic portrayal of Zelda, Bernard's love flame from the past. These characters, and their relationships with Bernard and Huey, provide a critical counterpoint to the exploration of the male characters' identities related to love, sex, and friendship.

The narrative intertwines the present storyline with flashbacks to their youthful selves and dexterously reveals the evolution of Bernard and Huey. How they have changed over the years, how their friendship was, how they treated women in the past, and how their attitudes have since transformed. The frequent transitions and glued-together storylines create an enchanting storytelling style that keeps the keen viewer engaged and reflective.

"Bernard and Huey" is a thoughtfully created pastiche of humor, drama, romance, and self-discovery. Complemented by superb acting, impressive direction, and well-layered storytelling, this film cements its place in the realm of quality cinema. It takes the viewers through a rollercoaster ride of emotions, making them laugh, cry, ponder, and ultimately feel a deep connection with the main characters' journey. The movie neatly wraps its poignant commentary in a beautifully gift-wrapped package of laughs and snappy dialogue.

In terms of technical prowess, the film boasts slick editing, rich cinematography that brings New York City's diverse landscapes to life, and a charming musical score that amplifies the narrative's emotional resonance. All these elements combine to create a film that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is substantively intriguing.

"Bernard and Huey" worth a watch for those who appreciate character-driven narratives built on introspective journeys and powerful performances. This film offers a fresh take on friendship, love, and life's interpersonal complexities, encasing all its profundities in a surprisingly uplifting and often hilarious narrative, thereby leaving its audience with much-needed laughter and poignant reflections.