The hands - off atmosphere is perpetuated by an increasingly familiar storyline that's riddled with less - than - engrossing elements (eg Ted's encounters with his pretentious
colleagues), and it's clear, too, that Levine's meandering modus operandi remains problematic even through the movie's comparatively stellar second half - which effectively diminishes the impact of the movie's few standout sequences (eg Ted's
frustrated speech to a
faculty review board, etc).