There seems to be something in the water over at the Apatow house. The irreverent comedy is alive and well, the mantle carried by Maude Apatow in her directorial debut with Poetic License. Everything you love about buddy comedies, foul-mouthed protagonists, and aimless man-child antics are all present here, very much a product of Superbad with a hint of Funny People. It is clear that Maude is an apt pupil of her father, well-studied and dialed into his work to deliver something that feels like a Judd Apatow production, flaws and all. Poetic License is powered by its sharp humor, confident direction, and an excellent comedic duo. Like most Apatow films, it putters out by the third act and makes some baffling character choices, but it succeeds far more often than it fails to restore the raunchy comedy back to its former glory.

Written by Raffi Donatich, Poetic License follows LIz (Leslie Mann) a former therapist and soon-to-be empty nester, forced to follow her husband to a new city after he lands a dream job at a university. Lost and bored, she decides to audit a poetry class where two best friends Sam (Andrew Barth Feldman) and Ari (Cooper Hoffman) begin to compete for her affection. Chaos insues as the young college seniors attempt to pursue and woo an older, married woman, bringing everything into question including their friendship, relationships, and LIz’s search for meaning in her own life. Poetic License also stars Method Man, Nico Parker, Maisy Stella, and Martha Kelly.

Promising Directorial Debut from Maude Apatow

Maude’s direction is the film’s first strength. There’s an assuredness in her approach that signals a watchful eye on the family business, and seems to understand comedy and timing balanced with an emotional core like her father and his work. It’s rare that a nepo baby (let’s just call it what it is) is able to prove themselves so quickly, but Maude demonstrates her ability to stand on her own even if she’s working with familiar material. Poetic License isn’t all that distinct and fits right at home in the larger raunchy comedy genre. It’s certainly a breakout debut for Maude, but is often indistinguishable from its very overt inspirations. That’s only a minor fault, thought. Because Poetic License is really, really funny. Thanks largely to the electric onscreen chemistry between Sam and Ari.

Feldman and Hoffman make one hell of a comedic duo, playing off each other like they’ve been doing these kinds of films for years. The kind of chemistry that makes you wish they’d make a bunch of Poetic Licenses together and will immediately sign up for anything they do together. I’ve had stock in Hoffman since Licorice Pizza, and his wide variety of roles already really shows how much that buy-in is paying off. Feldman broke out big in No Hard Feelings, and continues to show off his talents in this latest comedy vehicle. They both power Poetic License and elevate the material across the board, making every joke better with their delivery and extremely watchable likability.

Liz Is Not a Real Character In Any Universe

I normally enjoy Leslie Mann, and she’s doing her best here in Poetic License. but Donatich’s script – smart and sharp as it is for a first screenplay – struggles the most with Liz. She is not a real person in any universe, even an absurd comedy one. It’s no fault of Mann as that’s how the character is written, but the way she interacts with everyone – her husband, her daughter, the boys – is just not how any human being would ever act, even in a midlife crisis. Poetic License is very much a film about finding your place in the world. Both Sam and Ari are searching for life after college and what happens to their friendship. LIz is searching for purpose after losing everything she thought was her identity. Even her daughter Dora (Parker) is looking for herself at a new school in a new town. But Liz is just not believable in any way shape or form, and I found it hard to shake as she is a co-lead and so much of the story rests on her and her choices.

It’s not quite enough to derail the whole thing, and it may just be a personal hangup rather than something general audiences will even care about or notice. Like all Apatow films, the first two acts of Poetic License are far better than the third, its climax and conclusion never really culminating in a truly satisfying way and finds it all spinning its wheels for longer than it should. Maude brings over so many of her father’s strengths it’s a bit disappointing that she also carries some of his biggest weaknesses. Thankfully, Poetic License is good where it counts, and delivers on big laughs and colorful characters that you enjoy spending time with.

Poetic License may not be the best of its kind and wears its inspirations on its sleeve, but as a first feature for both a new writer and director it’s quite impressive how well the final product ends up being. There’s plenty of laughs to go around, and if you’re not already on the Feldman and Hoffman train, Poetic License will certainly make a believer out of you. And you can sign me up for more Maude Apatow films.

If Poetic License is what she can do her first time out, then count me in for what she can make with some refinement and practice.

For more Reviews, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.

Keep Reading:

SXSW Review: The Shitheads Delivers Chaos but Misses the Heart of Great Road Comedies