When a comedy about escaping modern life becomes a box office cautionary tale
In short: Directed by David Wain and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, the 2012 comedy Wanderlust follows a couple attempting to trade their crumbling New York City existence for a Georgia commune. Despite a talented cast and ambitious premise, the film struggled to find its audience, ultimately becoming a box office disappointment.
The narrative centers on George and Linda Gergenblatt, an urban couple whose lives unravel when George loses his job and Linda’s documentary pitch is rejected. Seeking refuge with family in Atlanta, they stumble upon Elysium, a hippie commune that offers a stark, eccentric alternative to their former lifestyle. The film explores the friction between their conventional values and the commune's radical embrace of free love and communal living.
Production was largely based in Georgia, utilizing locations such as Lawrenceville and Habersham County. David Wain, who co-wrote the script with Ken Marino, began documenting the process in May 2010. Upon its February 2012 release, the film faced a challenging reception. It opened at number eight during its debut weekend, earning $6.5 million from 2,002 locations. By the end of its theatrical run, the film had grossed approximately $24.2 million against a $35 million budget, leading to its classification as a box office bomb.
Critical response remained divided, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 58% approval rating and Metacritic assigning a score of 53. While some reviewers praised the cast and Wain’s direction, others felt the humor did not consistently land. Despite its theatrical performance, the film found a secondary life on home media, with a DVD and Blu-ray release in June 2012 that included various behind-the-scenes features and commentary tracks. Notably, the film holds a piece of corporate history as the final Universal Pictures release to feature the studio's 1997 logo and Jerry Goldsmith fanfare.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Wanderlust (2012 film)
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