‘I Love You Man’ at 15: How Paul Rudd Perfected His Bass-Slappingly Relatable Role

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If we talk about the top roles for leading men in 2009, fans of movies will probably mention Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), George Clooney (Up in the Air), or even Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), who eventually won an Oscar. However, John Hamburg thinks that people should also consider Paul Rudd.

Although I am the one who directed the movie, Paul's acting in I Love You Man is just as amazing as any of the nominated performances during that year," Hamburg states. He remembers the brilliance of Rudd's unfiltered performance, which may have gone unnoticed. "It's not easy to make an exceedingly-awkward character resonate with audiences. What Paul and Jason Segel did in that film is truly impressive and requires an immense amount of talent and dedication. It takes a gifted actor to pull it off."

Hamburg’s romantic comedy focused on men, which was released 15 years ago, showcases Rudd as Peter Klaven. Peter is a kindhearted person who is about to get married but has no close male friendships. Zooey, who is played by Rashida Jones, calls attention to this fact, and Peter decides to find a new best friend before his wedding day. Sydney Fife, played by Segel, enters the picture as an honest and easy-going individual who promises to fulfill Peter’s needs, if only he can overcome his awkwardness and establish a strong connection with him.

In the movie 'I Love You Man', we see the talented actors Jason Segel and Paul Rudd team up for an entertaining comedy. They play best friends who embark on a hilarious journey of finding the perfect male companion for Paul's upcoming wedding. The dynamic between Segel and Rudd is what makes this movie so enjoyable to watch. Segel brings his signature charm and comedic timing while Rudd delivers his dry wit and impeccable delivery. Together, they create a perfect blend of humor and heart that leaves the audience feeling satisfied. Overall, 'I Love You Man' is a great choice for anyone looking for a good laugh and a heartwarming story about the importance of friendships. It's a must-see for fans of Segel and Rudd, as well as anyone who appreciates a well-crafted comedy.

Hamburg, the writer of the 2000's family comedy Meet The Parents and its two follow-up movies, as well as the director of the 2004 romantic comedy Along Came Polly, was no stranger to romantic introductions and awkward social situations. This is why he had seen the original script for I Love You Man by Larry Levin many times before, but only decided to direct it himself when he came up with a new perspective.

Hamburg explains that he had been attempting to create a project but was struggling to bring his vision to life. However, he then recollected Levin’s script, previously named “Let’s Be Friends”. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he realized that this could be the perfect way to tell the story he had been striving to create. This led him to come up with his own version of the story and develop the character of Peter Klaven, who is at ease around women and has a lot of female friends and partners but feels uneasy around men. This concept proved to be the turning point and helped him unlock his creativity.

Although Levin's script's "guy-meets-guy" romantic comedy structure was still in place, Hamburg started adding socially awkward jokes, a realistic feel, and an appearance from the former Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, to make his version unique. He also had his sights set on the ideal leading actors to bring the story to life, both of whom were not yet popular box-office draws back in the late 2000s.

He tells us that he had a feeling that Paul Rudd and Jason Segel were the only two actors who could play those roles perfectly. He thought they were very creative and hilarious and they made it look like it was real, which is important for a story about two unlikely friends. Even though they weren't famous yet, everyone could see their talent and how much they deserved to be the stars of the movie. It was rare to have such complete support for casting choices.

Hamburg stated that Rudd made the most of Peter's unease around other males, creating some of the most unforgettable scenes in the film. In the script, it was noted that Peter struggled to act cool and often spoke foolishly, only to regret it later. However, Rudd transformed this into a masterpiece of embarrassment and absurd speech, perfectly embracing the character's awkwardness and delivering comedic genius. Hamburg shared a laugh, admiring Rudd's remarkable performance.

The director explains that many of Paul's lines, such as "see you later," were delivered in a clumsy manner to reflect Peter's social awkwardness. Paul fully embraced the character, allowing him to bring a level of authenticity to his performance. The director praises Paul for his lack of self-consciousness, which allowed him to fully embrace the character's quirks and take the performance to unexpected depths.

Rudd's exceptional talent on the air guitar lets him expertly explore the depths of whimsical comedy. During a bonding moment between Peter and Sydney in which they discover a mutual passion for the Canadian rock group, Rush, Peter showcases his impressive bass-slapping skills, leaving his partner Zooey both entertained and surprised. The scene is known for its impromptu and wacky nature, and has become a staple of Hamburg's film.

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel star in the movie 'I Love You Man'.

Hamburg recalls filming a scene where he was instructed to say "I slap the bass big time" in a Jamaican accent. This was the only line in the script, but Paul Rudd, being his quirky self, transformed it into the hilarious scene we see in the movie. He repeated the phrase over and over, adding his own flair to it and making everyone on set burst into laughter.

During the first week of filming, Hamburg realized he had captured something extraordinary. The next day, he noticed that the assistant prop guy was sporting a T-shirt with Paul's 'Slap da bass' pose in silhouette and thought that they might have hit a gold mine. Since the scene was shot early in the shoot, Hamburg was able to incorporate references to it throughout the rest of the film. He made sure to add 'Slap da bass' references into almost every scene in case the audience connected to it as much as his crew did. In the tuxedo sizing scene, Jason mentioned that he had seen Paul with the bass, and Paul responded that he 'slaps bass big-time'. This running joke turned out to be a great addition to the film.

On the other hand, Segel's character Sydney was praised for being down-to-earth and realistic. He had unique observations about the general public, for example, he referred to people who resemble their dogs as "Bowsers." His man cave was also described in great detail, and he even bluntly told Peter that it's where he masturbates. The intention was for Sydney to be as relatable as possible, and even Sydney's habit of masturbating into condoms was included to add depth to his character. The idea was not used for shock value, but rather to show how Sydney was free, open, and practical, and not afraid to talk about intimate matters.

Looking back, the realistic approach taken in I Love You Man created a genuine connection between the audience and the characters of Peter and Sydney. However, during filming in 2009, director Hamburg was worried that the lack of big and exciting scenes, commonly seen in his previous works like Meet The Parents or Zoolander, would impact the success of the film. "I freaked out before the first test screening," he explains. "It was just two guys talking and playing music in a garage. But, luckily, the audience found it just as funny and relatable as any of my other films."

The director, John Hamburg, was joined by Rashida Jones and Paul Rudd in a recent gathering.

The emotional aspects of I Love You Man contributed to its success as a beloved comedy classic. For a while now, there has been talk about a possible sequel, and the writer even drafted a new plotline. However, presently, the writer is uncertain about Peter and Sydney's fate. He shared that they have deliberated about the possibility of a follow-up, but making it better than the original is a daunting task. He has strong affection for the characters, so it pains him to think that this is the end for them, but he is also at peace with letting the original story continue to thrive on its own.

Although there may not be a sequel at present, fans still connect with I Love You Man even after 15 years has passed, and the director is satisfied with that. The director often meets people who mention they frequently quote the movie and that they know someone similar to Peter Klaven. It seems that almost everyone knows somebody or has personal problems making friendships in their adult life. The whole experience is something the director is grateful for.

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