A Guy Thing
1½ out of 5 stars
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a guy thing It seems like no one can some up with ideas for romantic comedies anymore. This is yet another formulaic film that sticks to the well-worn path while pretending to be original and oh-so-hip. It's not. Paul (Lee) is startled to wake up after his bachelor party with a hula dancer named Becky (Stiles) in his bed. He can't actually remember what happened, but assumes the worst and starts a massive deception campaign on his perfectionist bride-to-be Karen (Blair), with the help of his pal Jim (Hatosy) and his nervous brother Pete (Lennon). But Becky has a ruthless thug ex-boyfriend (Munro) after her, and lots of wacky antics will ensue before anyone goes down the aisle.

Well, they'd seem wacky if we didn't spot every one of them coming a mile off. This film features stale frat boy comic bits combined with zany slapstick antics the likes of which we haven't seen since Three's Company was cancelled in 1984. (Yes, there's lots of embarrassed sniggering about sex!) The plot isn't remotely probable, and the film is directed in a broad, goofy way that keeps us from ever buying into any of the romantic entanglements. Everyone overacts shamelessly, the comic veteran actors are all underused, and the uninspired plot just gets worse until the flat-footed climax. It's colourful and lively enough to keep us awake and waiting for a genuinely funny line. And it has that earnest Hollywood sheen to it that pretends to be meaningful at the end. As if. Well, it is life-changing: It makes you never want to watch another rom-com as long as you live.

cert 12 themes, language, vulgarity, innuendo 15.Apr.03

dir Chris Koch
scr Greg Glienna, Pete Schwaba, Matt Tarses, Bill Wrubel
with Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma Blair, Shawn Hatosy, Lochlyn Munro, Thomas Lennon, James Brolin, Larry Miller, Julie Hagerty, Diana Scarwid, David Koechner, Jackie Burroughs
release US 17.Jan.03; UK 13.Jun.03
Fox
03/US 1h41

Who are you? Nice guy Paul (Lee) is completely shocked to wake up with a strange woman (Stiles) after his bachelor night party.

lee stiles blair
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© 2003 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

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