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The film follows the relationship of Olivia (Lucy Punch) and Alex (Faye Marsay); despite their age difference, they love each other a lot. But, when circumstances lead both to end up pregnant at the same time, things begin to go awry for the couple - putting their relationship to the test. So they befriend their hyper-masculine neighbour with a heart of gold, John (Tennant), who attempts to make life easier for the pair during their pregnancy, but the situation only gets further out of hand.
Aitkens’ screenplay here is hilarious. From its opening scene, the comedy in You, Me and Him flows thick and fast. But, best of all, the humour is sharp and, unlike most other romcoms of this nature, unreliant on low-brow jokes. There is such natural and funny humour to be found within Aitkens’ debut and its fizzing with comedic ingenuity. But more than just some funny one-liners, the screenplay does a superb job of carving out such likeable and realistic protagonists in its leading trio. There’s a relatability to them which makes them easy to root for. Our powerhouse trio of Punch, Marsay and Tennant are terrific together – there is such palpable chemistry between them that makes their friendship (relationship in the case of the former two) so felt and real. Of course, to say that Tennant is the standout is like saying water’s wet. But it’s true. He is hilarious as the hyper-masculine John, but he’s more than just the comedic relief – developing his own poignant arc as the story progresses.
It's in its ineffable charm in which You, Me and Him really finds its groove. Past this, the story does feel very conventional. The supporting characters are all paper thin too and the film has a very rough, bland aesthetic – which is a shame given how much energy and life flows through the screenplay and performances. The film can struggle with tonal balancing too; there is a plot twist towards the final act which takes the story into more sombre territory and it’s effective, for the most part, but the film doesn’t quite feel as seamless as it could when in this empathetic zone – jokes feel mistimed and awkward and the film doesn’t do the best job of transitioning back to its lighter feet. But, at the end of the day, it’s hard to discredit Daisy Aitkens’ debut all that much. Because it is genuinely such a crowd-pleasing delight – easily the most fun I’ve had with a film in a while. Aitkens has proven herself a capable talent and I look forward to seeing what she offers us up in the future.
YOU, ME & HIM OPENS IN THE U.K THIS APRIL.
VERDICT:
It struggles with its footing at times, but Daisy Aitkens has proven herself a talented filmmaker to watch with the indelibly charming You, Me and Him.
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