One has to wonder, what if there were alternatives in the Garden of Eden? What if Adam's eye was caught by another girl, or Eve decided on a better specimen of malehood, where would we as the human race be today? Probably just as confused as we are now. And Thomas Koch's "How To Live With A Vegan" sheds some much-needed light on the age-old battle of the sexes.
From the title, it would seem that audiences are in for either a pro-rant for vegetarianism, or a politically-incorrect argument for lovers of meat, but that would short-change the whole film. It's really about what makes us tick on an emotional level. The film reminds us of "Clerks," and at times, especially when the supporting cast fires up, it hits Kevin Smith's high marks.
Ty Lennox Bush does a good job in the lead role of Scott, a website designer whose Vegan girlfriend has just given him the "ultimatum" - Let me move in or else! What follows are some very funny anecdotes mixed in with Scott's inability to decide what to do with his girlfriend's ever-maddening Vegan practices. Goaded on by his friends, Scott declares a war on his girlfriend, while re-embarking on a quest to win back his old flame. It's never quite clear why Scott just doesn't give his annoying girlfriend the boot right off the bat, but then we wouldn't have a story.
What we do have is lots of fun from the supporting cast, Troy Anderson and Klae Scott. Anderson in particular has brutally humorous monologues which he nails perfectly, reminding us a bit of Randall from "Clerks". The principal female roles are not as well-written (it might be interesting to see such a film written and directed by a woman), nor are they as well realized by the actresses, but it's a minor quibble. The writing is strong when we stay with the boy's club, and it offers at least one side of the never-ending battle between Venus and Mars. And it's a funny side.
