A competent but humdrum dramedy, Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012) is about the perfect couple, who happen to be getting divorced. Celeste (Rashida Jones) is an ambitious writer and “trend forecaster” who totally has her life put together. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband Jesse is a slacker artist who hasn’t quite grown up yet. Celeste and Jesse are that rarity, an amicably separating couple, but their lives are still intertwined — and they’re such great friends, they’re having trouble seeing their way forward without each other. Celeste thinks she’s ready to move on until Jesse meets someone else, which stirs up residual feelings in their long-term relationship.
Celeste & Jesse Forever is a decent showcase for Jones’ quirky charm, and the concept of a romantic comedy about the end of a relationship is a nice change of pace. But ultimately this is kind of a nothing film, possessing neither enough laughs for a comedy nor enough weight for a drama. A harmless and honest, but generic and pretty forgettable film.
