Movie with Abe: Two Night Stand

Two Night Stand
Directed by Max Nichols
Released September 26, 2014

It’s interesting to see what young actors do with their careers. Some start off with an astonishing breakthrough at an early age that then sets them up for failure or obscurity since their successive roles can’t possibly match what came beforehand. And some begin in their early twenties, when it’s possible to see their talent and what it will become but where they’re not limited by one particular part. Two actors, Analeigh Tipton and Miles Teller, fit that bill, and their latest collaboration is an example of two talented people delivering perfectly adequate and entertaining performances in this average, enjoyable comedy.

Tipton got her big start in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” as a babysitter in love with her boss and followed that up with supporting roles in “Hung,” “Damsels in Distress,” and “Warm Bodies.” She usually plays the cutesy, shy girl who may not always fit in with the rest of the crowd because of her bubbliness. Teller had an important part in “Rabbit Hole” but really broke out with “The Spectacular Now,” and should receive similarly strong reviews for his follow-up performance in the forthcoming Sundance hit “Whiplash.” Here, Tipton’s dark comedy and Teller’s light drama backgrounds converge for an old-fashioned R-rated comedy about sex.

The concept here is all in the title: a one-night stand stretched out into an unexpected second evening. In this case, Megan (Tipton) finds herself unable to flee from the unfortunate aftermath of her night spent at the home of Alec (Teller) due to the immense snowstorm that has welded Alec’s building door shut. Their evening wasn’t terrible, but the morning after ends on a sour, bitter note, paving the way for an awkward day of trying to get along.

At times, “Two Night Stand” reaches its potential, allowing its characters to alternately bicker with each other or share a romantic moment. It’s fun to see Tipton and Teller having a great time playing off of each other and letting their characters reduce each other to their worst qualities for optimal entertainment. As a whole, however, the film doesn’t embrace its R rating or go far enough, abandoning notions or subplots when they could easily go much further. Some moments are more awkward or forced then they should be, but this film isn’t expecting much. It’s just two bright young actors having a fun time exploring a concept that isn’t meant to be groundbreaking or fantastic.

B