The opening sequence shows a montage of a whirlwind relationship between Josh (Rafe Spall) and Nat (Rose Byrne). They marry seven months after their first meeting. During the wedding ceremony, the priest has a coughing fit before he can say the words "husband and wife," and Minnie Driver, who gives a deliciously bitter performance as Naomi, Nat's sister, murmurs to her husband, "I give it a year."
Surrounding the couple is a merry band of characters from the rom-com playbook. There is Danny, Josh's best friend, played by Ricky Gervais's long-time creative partner, Stephen Merchant. Danny brings the "inappropriate best man speech" to a new level of awkwardness, and you have to wonder about Josh's character that he would choose such a moron as a friend. Naomi and her husband (Jason Flemyng) live in a coiled state of mutual disdain. When Nat asks her sister for marriage advice, Naomi says with a supportive smile, "Embrace the hatred." Josh's ex-girlfriend Chloe (played by Anna Faris) is an American ex-pat who works for a charity fighting epidemics in Africa. Josh and Chloe have remained friends, although the dismayed look on Chloe's face during the wedding reception is eloquent of unfinished business.
Josh is a novelist. He can't seem to finish his next book and spends his days lying around playing video games. Nat works as an executive in an ad agency, and is competent and driven. There is a class critique in the film. Nat says to someone that she was accustomed to driving Ferraris, and Josh represents a "Volvo," and, rather despicably, "I just needed to be behind the wheel of a Volvo for a while." There is no honeymoon period. Instantly upon getting married, Nat seethes with resentment about toilet seats being left up and who takes out the trash. Before Nat and Josh reach their one-year anniversary, they are in couples counseling, a device used to frame the storyline. As artificial as the device is, Olivia Colman is hysterical as the embittered man-hating couples counselor.
Through her job, Nat meets Guy, another American, who is looking to re-brand his cleaning-products company. Guy is played by Simon Baker, who breezes through the film with the same ease and insistently romantic leading man energy that he brought to the wonderful and under-rated "Something New." Nat does not inform Guy that she is married; in fact, she takes off her ring in his presence. She thinks flirting with him might help her nail the account, but also, the man is handsome, urbane and seems to "get" her. He's a Ferrari, in other words. Guy proceeds to court her in a ridiculous scene involving a wandering violin player, and two fluttering white doves who, unfortunately, are flying around in a room where there is a huge whirring ceiling fan. Disaster ensues. Guy and Nat begin a wild flirtation, and Josh and Chloe find themselves drawn to one another again. Nat and Josh decide to set up Guy and Chloe on a date, because that would be a good idea, right? The couples double-date, all while throwing longing glances diagonally across the pool table.
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