Jesse and Celeste Forever

Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg in “Jesse and Celeste”

I once had a female co-worker who broke up with her boyfriend but continued to see him.  I found this behavior odd.  I tried, unsuccessfully, to explain to her the incongruity of the situation.  She told me that they were still friends, leaving me to ponder the difference between being with someone versus breaking up with someone but still seeing them.  All of this has resonance in the new movie “Jesse and Celeste Forever.”

“Jesse and Celeste Forever” is a modern day relationship movie set in a thirty-something, health food oriented, seaweed eating, hyper aerobicized, yogaized (is that even a word?) Los Angeles.  Similar to the case of my former co-worker, the titular couple are in the midst of a divorce but are still very good friends.  They seem to be together constantly and even live on the same property.  Celeste has a house and Jesse, an aspiring artist, lives in a studio on the property.  They are very happy being together while divorcing.  In fact, as Celeste explains to a friend, they are happier this way than simply being married.  It is obvious that these are two people not ready to let go of each other, but try telling that to them.  My major thought through most of the movie was, why not leave well enough alone?  This might have been possible if not for a curve that is thrown their way, not to be revealed here.