Jason Segel makes awkward men worth spending time with, even when they are behaving badly. We value his unforced warmth more than the writing that sometimes uses it to excuse them, especially in Shrinking.
Fi1m perspective
In Shrinking (2023), Jason Segel lets Jimmy's grief make him impatient, awkward and exhausting company. The therapist breaks professional rules, but Segel gives him enough vulnerability for us to understand why people persist with him. We felt for Jimmy because the performance allows sadness to make him difficult, without asking him to look nobly wounded. The writing is less convincing: it too often treats his disregard for boundaries as a useful alternative to doing the job properly.
Freaks and Geeks (1999) gave him an early role as Nick Andopolis in a patient, often uncomfortable account of school life. We recommend that ensemble more warmly than How I Met Your Mother (2005), though the latter makes good use of him. As Marshall Eriksen, he brings a relaxed warmth that works particularly well alongside Alyson Hannigan's Lily Aldrin. Their company is a relief when the programme grows too pleased with Ted Mosby's romantic preoccupations.
He also writes parts for himself, including Peter Bretter in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), produced by Judd Apatow. His interest in puppets runs through that film and The Muppets (2011), which he co-wrote with Nicholas Stoller. Playing David Foster Wallace in The End of the Tour (2015) marked a move into more dramatic work after his long sitcom run. The move makes sense for an actor whose comedy already depends on allowing private unhappiness to show.
With Shrinking, created alongside Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, our reservations concern Segel the writer. Segel can make Jimmy's impatience funny, but a patient's response needs to matter beyond what it tells us about Jimmy. The programme keeps making people likeable when it should be asking harder questions about the help they receive. Harrison Ford's dry comedy is another reason to try it, though neither performance quite compensates for the hurried treatment of grief. For an easier evening, we would choose Marshall and Lily.
Biography
Jason Jordan Segel is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer. He began his career with a main role as Nick Andopolis in the series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000).
Segel is best known for playing Marshall Eriksen in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014). He has appeared in films including Knocked Up (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), which he also wrote, Bad Teacher (2011) and Sex Tape (2014), and provided the voice of Vector in Despicable Me (2010). He co-created and stars in the series Shrinking (2023–).
For his performance as David Foster Wallace in The End of the Tour (2015) he received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.
