Even though the trailers for this movie did raise a red flag or two, my wife and I decided to rent the movie on DVD and give it a go. Bad mistake. Bad, bad mistake. I think not even 15 minutes into the movie had passed that I realized that this was going to be a weak movie. Julie gave it a little bit longer to pass judgement. Judgement was swift afterwards: worst. movie. ever. Pretty harsh, ain't it?
Here's the deal. I like chick flicks as much as the next heterosexual guy. However, every once in a while a chick flick rolls by that I truly enjoy, and I wouldn't even mind admitting to that in public (manly man disclaimer ends here).
This movie didn't quite pass the mustard. There was no chemistry between the lead characters, the script was awful, the plot was done (to a much better extent with gender reversal in "My Best Friend's Wedding" with Julia Roberts and Dermot Mulroney and Cameron Diaz), and the "zingers" were as bad as they can be. Really, the one liner deliveries by Patrick Dempsey were horrible. It felt like he was reading from a cue card, which I think he was the entire movie. He is no leading man charmer, not in this movie at least. Dempsey had more charm in "Sweet Home Alabama" in his 15 minutes in that movie, where he was supposed to be the jilted suitor, than this entire movie. He must have read the script, thought it was a joke, then saw how much money he was getting paid for it, and decided to go for it, winging it! That's what I would have done. Reputation? Who cares? He has that little hospital drama on ABC, if you haven't heard by now, where he has his own nickname and all!
Michelle Monaghan did add a layer of respectability to the movie. It seems she at least tried to make it a real movie. I give her that much. But she had no help, and was doomed with the shoddy writing and horrible supporting cast (her other friends who were supposed to be the bridesmaids were as cliched as heck, and even they mailed in their performance).
One more thing that I abhor, is when the writers throw in sophomoric jokes in chick flicks, that fail miserably. The shining example is when one of the bridesmaids dupes Dempsey into hiring an exotic toys sales woman for the entertainment at the bridal shower, and the consequent "Beads of Thunder" joke that the writers stretch to its breaking point and beyond. Two words: NOT FUNNY. Or when Dempsey's dad, the wonderful and incomparable and the late Sydney Pollack, is negotiating the number of times he and his sixth wife-to-be will be intimate in a week ("I will give you 3 times a week and a 1 BJ a month") for the pre-nup right before they get married. Awful. Who writes this stuff? 13 year olds, with WILD imaginations?
Here are my grades for the movie, out of five:
Plot: 0.5 star. Been there, done that.
Script: 0.5 star. Downright horrible.
Direction: 2.5 stars. Nothing much to complain about there. Script and acting sink this movie.
Lead actor: 1 star. Dempsey's still nice to look, I'm told by the ladies!
Lead actress: 3 stars. I like Monaghan. She's likable.
Supporting actors, collectively: 0.5 stars. Busy Phillips, in particular, ZERO stars!
As always, let me know what you think!
4 comments:
I think you spent more time writing that blog than they spent writing the script. Often I've found myself at the 10 minute mark of a movie wanting to eject, but I can never pull the trigger. I then spend the next hour and a half hopelessly thinking perhaps my decision will be vindicated with a rapid plot twist. Usually all I enjoy is the popcorn and the credits arriving.
You know you love me.
Worst.Movie.In.A.LOOOONG.Time - almost as long as the movie seemed!! Also makes me think McDreamy is only dreamy when Shonda Rhimes is in the director's chair... between this and Enchanged he's seriously dropped off the 'hot' radar!!
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