From the slickly-animated opening titles to the hipster-jukebox soundtrack selections to the casting of Michael Cera as the neurotic hipster-kid who just can't let go of his manipulative bitch of an ex-girlfriend, "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" sets out to be the "Juno" of 2008, but falls short of entertainment...and substance. While overrated (particularly in Roger Ebert's glowing review), the latter film was a tricky balancing act of aching-to-be-hip dialog and seemingly loose characterization that, surprisingly, worked its way inside-out to leave an endearing, heartfelt impression; the energetic and caustic lead performance by Ellen Page didn't hurt, either. While "Nick and Norah" pines for the same audience (and will likely get it), its shallow story (two star-crossed, would-be lovers exchange missed signals under the New York City skyline over a night-long search for a show by underground rockers Where's Fluffy) is all about pretty faces and surface qualities; the cast is attractive, but the characters never feel more than two-dimensional (and some are simply grating), and most attempts to elicit an emotional response from the audience come from dishonest manipulation (preferably by some swelling, low-key ballad on the soundtrack). That Nick (Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings), the star-crossed, would-be lovers in question, hook up by night's end goes without saying; it's the artificial roadblocks that stand in their way that make the film tedious amid some genuine laughter and emotion. It's not bad, but certainly not inspired, especially standing in a shadow as immense as "Juno."
5.5 out of 10
5.5 out of 10