Celeste and Jesse Forever is well underway before it becomes clear that it begins six months after the breakup of its titular characters, played by Rashida Jones (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Andy Samberg. After a succinct opening-credit montage of the rise and fall of their marriage (they married young, and she dumped him when her professional ambitions put too much distance between their lifestyles), we're shunted into Celeste and Jesse's world of impressively annoying inside jokes. They make heart shapes at each other with their hands by way of greeting; they speak to each other in fake German accents; they masturbate ChapStick tubes. It's only when a close friend explodes in exasperation that we learn they've been separated for six months, even though Jesse still lives in the studio behind their house. Clearly, things are about to get complicated. And although Celeste is shooting for romantic comedy, the laughs are inconsistent—and not nearly as impressive as the romantic side of the equation. by Marjorie Skinner