Review: That Awkward Moment

There’s a scene about a third of the way through That Awkward Moment where Michael B. Jordan’s character punches Zac Efron’s character, Jason, in the face and it’s probably the most enjoyable moment in the entire film. The film revolves around three best friends Jason (Zac Efron), Daniel (Miles Teller) and Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) who make a pact to stay single and Mikey’s wife tells him she wants a divorce. But of course the big twist is that none of them keep the pact. Jason meets Ellie (A QUIRKY GIRL!!!! played Imogen Poots) who he falls for but won’t let himself fall for; Daniel starts banging his wing-woman and Mikey is sleeping with his soon-to-be ex-wife. 

That Awkward Moment is not just an awful title for a film, it’s also an awful film and for so many reasons. The biggest reason being that Zac Efron is a horrible actor. The writing is bad but my God, he is worse. To say that the film would have benefitted from a different leading man in an understatement. He’s unbelievably stiff and his lack of emotion makes his character almost seem like a sociopath. His scenes are embarrassing to watch as he struggles to keep up with the obviously much more talented Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan. Out of the three leads, Miles Teller has the most charisma and the best comic timing. Even when he’s just in the background of a scene, he’s the funniest part. Michael B. Jordan does his best with a boring storyline that goes nowhere. For two actors who are being heralded as The Next Big Thing and both having won awards at Sundance Film Festival, it’s a shame they’re both in such a mediocre film. 

As for the female characters, let’s just say the film doesn’t quite pass the Bechdel Test. Imogen Poots plays Ellie, Jason’s standard manic pixie dream girl. Her hair is messy, her eye liner is smudged and her gloves are fingerless. Chelsea, Daniel’s love interest (played by MacKenzie Davis), only really exists to be his wing-woman turned girlfriend who also, inexplicably, plays piano and sings in one scene. 

On top of that, the music in the film doesn’t fit and is distracting. It’s either overly sentimental to tell the audience “this is sad moment” or seems ominous, as if one of the characters are about to horribly die. But the worst thing about That Awkward Moment is that it thinks that it’s being original by making a romantic comedy where the guys are the main characters when really it falls back on all the romantic comedy tropes and jokes you’ve seen before. Basically, do yourself a favour and give this one a miss.

Beth Johnston