Ira and Abby

Here is the charming, alternative romantic-comedy universe of Jennifer Westfeldt, a world in which a warm, friendly butterfly of a woman can disarm an angry subway robber and talk the passengers into taking up a collection for the thief.

Westfeldt previously co-wrote and starred in Kissing Jessica Stein, in which a straight, hard to please woman in New York City tires of men and tries romance with a woman. Here she plays Abby, a straight, easy to please woman in New York City who proposes marriage to Ira, a classic neurotic, after six hours of intense conversation.

The story begins with Ira (Chris Messina) on a couch, reeling off his concerns to a psychiatrist who concludes that, after 12 years of therapy, Ira hasn't made any progress and fires him as a patient. Messina's appearance and rapid-fire delivery are a bit reminiscent of both Ben Stiller and Mark Ruffalo, but he never becomes self-indulgent or strains for laughs. Westfeldt's script takes care of that; it's jam-packed with witty one-liners. Director Robert Cary keeps things moving at a brisk pace.

Such momentum is vital for a piece like this, which becomes readily apparent when the central premise of the film is introduced. Ira has decided he needs to make a change in his life -- he's dithering over his commitment to long-time girlfriend Lea (Maddie Corman), he can't get started on his dissertation in psychology (?!), and he can't even decide what to order for breakfast -- so he tries to join a local gym. There he encounters Abby, a saleswoman who actively discourages him from buying a membership.

Abby is preternaturally friendly, outgoing, and cheerful; she's also a de facto therapist to everyone in the gym. The two end up talking for hours, whereupon Abby makes the impromptu marriage proposal.

With marriage comes in-laws. Ira's analyst parents (Robert Klein and Judith Light) freak out, while Abby's hippy-vibe folks (Fred Willard and Frances Conroy) are totally mellow. Everyone comes together for the ceremony, though, and afterwards Ira and Abby appear blissfully, enviably happy.

Which irks Ira no end, because he can't quite comprehend how Abby is able to so effortlessly make friends with everyone she meets -- salespeople hug her when she leaves -- and why she should be so happy while lacking any career ambitions. He's being true to his neurotic self, even if it threatens what should be a storybook romance.

The film sags as the focus widens to include an illicit affair, and an endless parade of interchangeable therapists (including Jason Alexander, Chris Parnell, and Donna Murphy) trot out their theories. The material, while maintaining a good humor, feels stretched out.

This third-act structural problem is similar to that in Jessica Stein, but as with that picture, Ira & Abby creates sufficient goodwill to allow most viewers to glide over the rough patches until the story kicks back into gear with its last few sequences, especially a group therapy session with all the psychiatrists rounded up in one room.

Festival Atmosphere: Definitely a friendly World Premiere feeling, with very positive anticipatory buzz, dressed to kill for a Friday night. Lively post-screening Q & A, featuring director Cary and cast members Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina, Robert Klein, Judith Light, and Maddie Corman. A clear audience-pleasing picture, with the laughter starting in the first minute and carrying through until the last.

Ira & Abby screens again tomorrow (Monday) at 4:30 p.m. (Ticket information on this page.) If it doesn't yet have distribution, it should shortly.