Review:  ‘Lovesick’ script and star give romantic comedy a boost

Although “Lovesick” plays more like an extended sitcom episode than a full-fledged feature film, the script by Dean Young contains enough genuine laughs and amusing moments to keep this slight romantic farce afloat. Credit as well the film’s nimble star, Matt LeBlanc, for barreling through this oddball exercise with such enjoyable conviction.

LeBlanc plays Charlie Darby, an affable San Pedro elementary school principal who has a little problem with the ladies: Whenever he starts to fall in love, he becomes an obsessive bundle of paranoia and jealousy. Needless to say, the objects of his affection tend to flee.

Enter Molly (Ali Larter), the lovely aunt of one of his students, Timmy (Carsen Warner). She and Charlie begin to date and, in short order, his “love sickness” surfaces. This leads to some wildly inappropriate, boundary-smashing behaviors that give the smitten Molly serious pause.

Charlie simply can’t help from “heavily tracking” Molly. He imagines her cheating on him with every guy who may — or, more likely, may not — cross her path, including the concierge at a La Jolla resort, the hunky Italian nurse for her grandma (Connie Sawyer) and even TV’s Dr. Oz (don’t ask). Charlie’s fixation with Molly’s extra-large souvenir sweatshirt is especially psycho-silly.

The entire enterprise, directed by Luke Matheny, has a kind of “just go with it” vibe. How else to explain Charlie’s sudden descent upon Molly’s Tuscan holiday? Accept this fantastical approach and it’s all much easier to take.

LeBlanc gets fun support from Adam Rodriguez as Charlie’s family-man best friend and a disheveled Chevy Chase, amusing as his lonely, porn-loving neighbor.

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“Lovesick”

MPAA rating: None

Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes.

Playing: AMC’s Universal CityWalk Stadium 19. Also on VOD.