My Best Friend's Girl
Movie Review
"My Best Friend's Girl"
Review by Eric D. Snider
Grade: D+
Rating: R
Released: Friday, September 19, 2008
Directed by:
Cast:
You know what I'm tired of? I'm tired of romantic comedies about people who have special, magical relationship "skills" that they use to make money. You had "Hitch," where Will Smith knew everything about women and could sell you his expertise. Then "Failure to Launch" had Sarah Jessica Parker being hired by exasperated parents to date their loser sons, boost their self-esteem, and get them out of the house. And just last fall there was Dane Cook as "Good Luck Chuck," whom women would sleep with because they knew it would lead them to their soulmates. These movies aren't all bad, but their cutesy premises have created a new cliché in a genre that already had plenty of them.
The latest is another Dane Cook offering, "My Best Friend's Girl," and it's a misguided blend of frat-boy raunchiness (which is why they hired Cook) and the usual rom-com tropes (which is why they hired Kate Hudson as his co-star). Yes, chick-flick fans, all your favorite plot points are here -- meeting under false pretenses, feeling betrayed when the truth comes out, declaring your love in the rain, and reconciling in a highly public place -- but they're mixed with testicle jokes and vomiting!
Cook plays Tank Turner, a first-class douchebag who, like Cook himself, takes pride in his douchebagginess. When he wants to sleep with a woman, he just treats her like dirt. Of course, this only attracts the type of women who enjoy being treated like dirt, but I guess everyone has a specialty. In his spare time, Tank accepts money from love-struck guys who want him to date their ex-girlfriends, show the women a miserable time, and drive them back into the arms of the guys they dumped. There is a certain logic to it: If you want a girl to think you're terrific by comparison, set her up with Tank Turner.
[To read the rest of the review, please visit Cinematical.]
Grade: D+
Rated R, pervasive harsh profanity, abundant vulgar dialogue, some nudity, some strong sexuality
1 hr., 41 min.
Copyright © Eric D. Snider.
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This item has 5 comments
September 25, 2008 at 3:23 pm
this movie looks like it sucks so i havent seen it but just from looking at the trailers you can tell that it is some crap
September 28, 2008 at 5:08 am
this movie had way too much vulgarity --- words and actions...
didn't like the characters, not even kate hudson's character (and usually she is likable in movies)
wasn't worth the money i paid for the ticket....
disappointing.....
October 1, 2008 at 10:27 am
Well, I must be crazy but I really liked this movie. All of the critics thought it was terrible. For the record, I do think that "Good Luck Chuck" (the last comedy Dane Cook starred in) was horrible- so that proves I'm not completely crazy. I would give this movie a shot and I usually agree with the critics (especially Eric).
October 4, 2008 at 10:37 pm
It wasn't just bad, it was usually just plain boring. I winded up daydreaming about getting more nachos most of the time. The vulgarity didn't bother me, but there was nothing special about it. Vulgarity is usually only useful for comedy when it is surprising. Too much of it and you just get desensitized.
October 19, 2008 at 4:13 am
Ooh, I think a D+ is waaaay too generous for this movie!!! Normally I like Jason Biggs, but even he was too much to take in this one. I don't get why Dane Cook is still getting movie roles.....heck, I just don't get Dane Cook!