Hoodie hunk Cera awkward, adorable in ‘Infinite’

Everyone loves an adventure ‘mdash; especially teenagers, apparently, for in ‘Nick and Norah’s… Everyone loves an adventure ‘mdash; especially teenagers, apparently, for in ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,’ the title duo spends an entire haphazard night exploring city streets, pursuing their favorite band. Sound fun? It should. ‘Nick and Norah’ is a quirky dramedy following a group of high schoolers during an exciting and unpredictable night in New York City ‘mdash; beginning in a small nightclub, where Nick (Michael Cera) and his band, The Jerk Offs, play to an audience of eager teens, including Norah (Kat Dennings). The evening starts with typical teenage drama ‘mdash; jealousy among classmates, revenge of the exes, drunken oblivion ‘mdash; but suddenly escalates into a sleepless night of unpredictable adventures. Norah’s initial crush on The Jerk Offs’ emo guitarist, Nick, quickly ends when she learns he’s the ex-boyfriend of her ‘frenemy,’ Tris. But Nick and Norah ‘mdash; prompted by the two other Jerk Offs ‘mdash; still form a flirtatious, yet often argumentative, friendship. Unfortunately, their insecurities and unwillingness to move on from past relationships overshadow their potential for a romantic relationship. Nick still needs to shed his leftover feelings for Tris, and Norah must learn to stop falling back on her ex-boyfriend, Tal (‘Knocked Up’s’ Jay Baruchel). Each fails to tolerate the whining and self-pitying of the other, so an initial spark loses its flame quickly. But the duo’s shared love of a popular underground band, Where’s Fluffy, acts as the binding force keeping the two in close contact as the night unfolds. Uniting the teens is a scavenger hunt through the boroughs of New York to find the spot where their favorite band will perform. The friends must work together to unravel the clues ‘mdash; written in bathroom stalls and announced over the radio of The Jerk Offs’ van. Cavorting through the city leads the teens to colorful and eclectic areas of New York. As the characters discover new places, the innovative camera movements allow viewers to feel as though they are following along firsthand. As the journey continues, the camera itself morphs into a separate character, and its lens becomes the eyes of the viewer. The camera ducks in and out of the van doors, shakily following Nick as he runs from homeless perverts and cascades through energetic crowds at shows. By shooting scenes within such close proximity of the actors, the audience is able to live out their own impulsive fantasies. While the film’s unique plotline makes for an entertaining and engaging story, the chemistry between Cera and Dennings sometimes seems forced, as many conversations are full of awkward banter. Because of the lack of genuine chemistry between these two characters, the titular twosome that they form is not as endearing and clever (in terms of the acting talent) as the film’s advertisements make it seem.. As the characters of the main duo form a new friendship, they simultaneously teach one another valuable lessons about learning to let go of past relationships, even if it means that they need to do so subconsciously. In each other they find a genuineness that was lacking from their previous partners. The movie’s creative use of music ‘mdash; particularly through the influence of the Where’s Fluffy scavenger hunt ‘mdash; provides legitimate potential to form an adorably infallible screen couple. But, as actors, Cera and Dennings never quite live up to what the storyline would make us expect. Nevertheless, the film as a whole touches on a universal longing for spontaneity and the hilarity that ensues. It successfully speaks to not only those in the same age group as the characters, but to anyone, who at one point in his life, had a yearning for a fresh start. ‘Nick and Norah’ proves that the reign of the teen dramedy genre is still running strong. Although not in the ranks of an Oscar contender,’Nick and Norah’ serves as a fantastic method of escaping real life, while catapulting into an entertaining ride through the Big Apple. And it sure is cheaper than really being there.