Classified as a romantic comedy, Dan Mazer’s I Give It a Year offers plenty of laughs if not much romance. By design, the relationship at the center of things isn’t easy to root for, and the film’s love quadrilateral doesn’t leave a lasting impression. Nonetheless, I’ll Give It a Year offers up enough genuine laughs to qualify as a solid British comedy.

Rafe Spall and Rose Byrne star as Josh and Nat, who marry just seven months after meeting.  During the wedding ceremony, the priest has a coughing fit before he can say the words “husband and wife, and Nat’s sister Naomi (Minnie Driver) whispers to her husband, “I give it a year.” At the reception, Josh’s best friend Danny (Ricky Gervais’ long-time creative partner Stephen Merchant) delivers such an inappropriate best man speech that you’ll wonder why Josh would possibly have such a moron as a best friend.

Flash forward nine months, and Josh and Nat have hit a rough patch. A burnt out therapist (Olivia Colman) suggests they give it another three months. If things don’t work out by then, it’s time to say “Arrivederci!” Their families don’t offer much more in the way of hopeful support. When Josh turns to Naomi for help—whose own marriage seems built on a foundation of mutual contempt—with a smile, she suggests they “Embrace the hatred.” Josh has remained friendly with his ex-girlfriend, Chloe (Anna Farris) an American ex-pat that works for a charity fighting epidemics in Africa. Though the two are friends, one look at her face during the wedding tells you that she and Josh have some unfinished business regarding their romance.

Josh, a novelist, is having a heck of a time trying to finish his latest book. Instead, he spends a lot of time on the couch playing video games. Nat, clearly a go-getter, is an executive at an ad agency. If there’s any doubt the two are very different people, Nat leaves little doubt. She remarks to someone that she is accustomed to driving Ferraris, and Josh represents a “Volvo,” and, rather appallingly, “I just needed to be behind the wheel of a Volvo for a while.” Ouch.

Through her job at the agency, Nat meets Guy (Simon Baker) a seemingly cultured fellow, who quickly falls for her. Of course, this is likely due in large part due to the fact that she forgets to tell him she’s married. Heck, she takes off her wedding ring in his presence. Guy is with a doubt a Ferrari. Guy begins to woo Nat in a truly over-the-top way, while Josh and Chloe find themselves drawn to one another again. Nat and Josh decide to set up Guy and Chloe on a date, because that’s a fabulous idea. The couple do a double date, throwing longing glances diagonally across at each other throughout.

Though you will root for plucky underdog Chloe to win back Josh’s affections, the way Mazer ties things up feels very blasé, which tends to undermine all the time and energy we’ve invested in the main characters. One suspects this is because in attempting to be both silly and romantic, I Give It a Year ends up being a bit of hodgepodge of events.

Filmed digitally, the 1080p Blu-ray is presented in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The transfer looks great. Colors look natural, and contrast well balanced. Detail is quite good throughout, and skin tones maintain a natural look. There’s no evidence of edge enhancement or other digital anomalies.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound track serves this dialogue heavy film well. The surround and LFE is noticeably limited at times, but the dialogue and ambient sounds come across clearly. The score by Ilan Eshkeri is a subtle one, and doesn’t add much to the overall experience.

English SDH, and Spanish subtitles are available.

The following special features are included:

  • Blooper Reel (HD) Typical flubs and screw ups.
  • Outtakes: The Doves (HD) A very short clip of outtakes from a funny scene involving doves and a ceiling fan.
  • Deleted/Extended Scenes (HD) Nothing seen here would have added to the film, and were probably best left on the cutting room floor.
  • Making of I Give It a Year: Relationships and Marriage (HD) Really just a short featurette looking at the evolution of the story.
  • Making of I Give It a Year: The Characters (HD) A look at some of the characters and their contributions to the story.
  • Cast and Crew Interviews (HD) Director Dan Mazer, actors Rose Byrne, Rafe Spall and others are interviewed.
  • International Interviews (HD) More of the above.