Celeste & Jesse Forever goes on for what feels like a mighty long time

The couple after which the film Celeste & Jesse Forever takes its name, Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) seem so well-suited to each other that they practically finish each other’s sentences. They have all sorts of inside jokes, like adopting crazy accents when considering menu choices on one of their many evenings out. And two aren’t even married anymore. The slacker and workaholic have been separated for months, yet they remain best friends that spend practically every free moment together.  That doesn’t sit well with their other friends Beth (Ari Graynor) and Steve (Eric Christian Olsen) who call them out on what they perceive as uncomfortable insanity.

Like Beth and Steve, after awhile we wanted to walk out on Celeste and Jesse, too. Their on-again, off-again relationship of eventually grows tiresome.

Separated but not yet divorced, things get even more complicated when the two hook up one night after having a few too many drinks. When it becomes clear Celeste isn’t ready to take her ex back permanently,  Jesse decides to reconnect with one-night-stand Veronica (Rebecca Dayan) who, as it turns out, is pregnant. When Jesse decides to embrace fatherhood, Celeste freaks out. He never discussed having children with her or showed any willingness to take on responsibility. Celeste takes to drinking heavily to try to deal with her heartbreak.

The back and forth nature of Celeste and Jesse’s relationship isn’t outside the realm of possibility. It’s just that it keeps the film’s plot from really moving forward. And subplots concerning Celeste’s gay business partner (Elijah Wood) and their high-profile client, pop star Riley Banks (Emma Roberts) really don’t go anywhere either. While Will McCormack provides some much-needed comic relief as Celeste’s pot dealer, he’s the only supporting actor really given a meaty role in the film. Even Graynor and Olsen don’t appear much in the movie, making it a little strange when they suddenly return at film’s end.

Flawed script aside, Jones and Samberg just aren’t able to carry this slow-moving movie that’s more drama than comedy.