They Came Together


They Came Together is a 2014 American satirical romantic comedy film directed by David Wain and written by Wain and Michael Showalter. The film stars Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, with supporting roles from Cobie Smulders, Christopher Meloni, Bill Hader, Ellie Kemper, Melanie Lynskey, and Ed Helms.
Joel and Molly, over dinner with couple Kyle and Karen, recount their entire relationship. It is a parody of romantic comedies infused with Showalter and Wain's absurd approach.
The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, and was released theatrically on June 27, 2014.

Plot

As Joel and Molly have dinner with unhappy couple Kyle and Karen, they recount how they first began dating in NYC. At the time, Molly owned a small independent candy store, Upper Sweet Side, that was being pushed out of business by Joel's company, a larger candy corporation CSR.
Joel lived with his girlfriend Tiffany, until he caught her cheating on him with his coworker Trevor. Ironically, he found them when he had gone home to propose, with roses and an engagement ring in hand. Trevor is also his work rival, stealing an account from him and vying for the same promotion.
On their way to the same Halloween party, Joel and Molly bump into each other. They were both invited by their respective best friends to set them up, and ironically come dressed in identical costumes. Although they initially fight, they bump into each other in a second-hand book store and end up going on a date.
Spending hours together in a coffee shop, Joel and Molly bond over many things they have in common. She invites him home for dinner, where he meets Molly's son Tucker. Later, on the front steps, Joel admits that he is not over Tiffany, so Molly goes in angrily.
Joel goes to the sweet shop to apologize, but both take so long getting ready, him rehearsing out front and Molly going through a montage of trying on outfits, that they miss each other. He eventually says sorry over the phone, and they begin dating. Following a video montage of the couple laughing and enjoying themselves in piles of leaves, the greengrocer's etc, they do a road trip so Joel can meet her parents.
Driving to the countryside to meet them, Joel discovers they are white supremacists. He and Molly argue and break up. Joel begins seeing Tiffany again, as Trevor had dumped her, and goes back to his life before Molly. She begins dating her banker Eggbert, although they clearly have little in common.
As Molly and Joel share friends, they coincide at the usual autumn festivities. Molly and Eggbert become engaged at New Year's. Joel realizes that he is still in love with her, so breaks up with Tiffany, who reveals she is actually Judge Judy.
Months later, just after he prevents CSR from destroying Upper Sweet Side, he races to the wedding. Joel arrives to find that she has already left Eggbert at the altar, so he goes to the Brooklyn Promenade to find her. All of the wedding guests follow Joel there.
After Joel makes a speech declaring his love, after several interruptions, they agree to get back together. Molly's ex-husband Spike, who was just released from jail, confronts Joel. They have a fight, which Joel wins, and Spike is again apprehended by the police,. Joel and Molly get married one year later, and Joel unveils a folding coffee table now placed outside Upper Sweet Side, which he calls Cup of Joel.
In the present, Joel and Molly reveal that they are getting divorced, as their marriage has since fallen apart due to their failed business venture and increasing debts. Because of this Molly got addicted to pills and started sleeping with an old boyfriend again. So, Molly and Joel mutually decided they should be friends.
After they finish telling their story to Kyle and Karen, both couples wonder and then agree to give their marriages another shot.

Cast

The film was written by David Wain and Michael Showalter. Rudd and Poehler participated in a table read of the script at the SF Sketchfest in January 2012.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2014, the film went on to screen at the Sundance London Film Festival on April 26, 2014, and went on to screen at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, BAMcinema Fest. The film was released in the United States on June 27, 2014 in a limited release and through video on demand by Lionsgate.

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 70% based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's critics consensus states: "They Came Together is surprisingly messy and perhaps too smart for its own good, but Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd's chemistry is enough to overcome many of the movie's flaws." On Metacritic, it was assigned a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".