[6]

On one hand, The D Train is a conventional buddy comedy of sorts, about a loser who tries to redeem himself by convincing a popular former classmate to come to their twenty-year high school reunion. On the other hand, the movie is a bold exploration into material you just don’t see that often. The film stars Jack Black as the loser who becomes obsessed with getting James Marsden’s character to RSVP to the reunion. Black succeeds in getting Marsden’s commitment after a wild night on the town in Los Angeles that ends in Marsden’s bisexual character bending Black over the bed and having sexual intercourse with him. Many films have depicted the regrettable one night stand, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it play out between a straight guy and a bi guy in a mainstream movie. Black’s character, who identifies as straight and is married with child in the film, spends the majority of the film trying to process his feelings about the incident.

I applaud writer/directors Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul for pushing the boundaries so far as depictions of human sexuality go — it’s wonderful to see it treated with some sophistication and realistic confusion. Black and Marsden are both pretty good in their roles, but I wish the film went further. Further as a comedy, further as a drama, further as a concept worthy of exploration. Instead, it tries to keep one foot in the safe zone while dipping just a toe into more provocative waters.

With Jeffrey Tambor and Mike White.