Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist

As per Cinema Romantico's request, I'll try to elucidate my hatred of the recent film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. This may prove difficult since it has been some time since I saw it, I found 90% of the film painful beyond reckoning, and as a result I went to another movie that night just to wash the memory from my mind (it was only partially successful). Despite the titular heroes sharing the names of two great bantering movie icons (Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) of The Thin Man) quick witted and interesting characters they are not.

Plot synopsis vaguely: Nick has been dumped by Tris (Alexis Dziena) and hasn't gotten over her and leaves her mixed CDs. Typically Nora gets these after digging them from the trash and really likes his taste. Coincidence causes the two of them to wind up at a night club together and various other coincidences cause them to spend the night roaming New York City trying to find some band that performs live shows in clandestine locations. In typical rom com style they disagree and agree and show interest in one another and then not and then blah blah blah. Who the hell cares.

Issue 1: The infinite play list is filled with songs and bands that I only assume are hip and hopping right now among today's youth but its all just noise to me and rather wretched noise for the most part. Despite all evidence to the contrary I am not an 80 year old man (well maybe in spirit). Maybe someone else will enjoy the music.

Issue 2: Why at any moment am I to believe these two are interested in each other? Beyond liking the same music (which they barely establish) and a few far too short moments where the two characters actually converse with one another, I never found one thing that helped explain what they saw in each other. And clearly the filmmakers were aiming from some spiritual connection motif not just lust. So what the hell gives?

Issue 3: It wasn't the Thin Man (or even had dialog that would make the Thin Man proud). At the production stage someone should have insisted on character name change. Oh you know what movie it also isn't? Although its certainly aiming to be in some ways? Before Sunrise. Yeah See in that film we got long conversations between the two characters and low and behold we had a reason to believe they would spend a night talking and arrange to meet at some future point. If they had cut out half the crappy music and drunk girl subplot and had actual genuine moments of conversation between Nick and Nora, this film might have actually had some redeemable quality.

Now lets end on a happier note:

Reporter: Say listen, is he working on a case?
Nora Charles: Yes, he is.
Reporter: What case?
Nora Charles: A case of scotch. Pitch in and help him.