Along Came Polly
PG-13
2 stars
Directed by John Hamburg
Starring Ben Stiller, Jennifer Anniston
Along Came Polly
PG-13
2 stars
Directed by John Hamburg
Starring Ben Stiller, Jennifer Anniston
Reuben is a successful but neurotic risk assessment analyst who gets dumped by his wife on the first day of their honeymoon. More risk avers than ever, he meets Polly, who tests his boundaries with ethnic foods and salsa dancing.
A boilerplate romantic comedy that’s saved by the skill of its ensemble cast. Stiller is goofy, Anniston cute, but the real standouts are Philip Seymour Hoffman as a former child star and Alec Baldwin as Reuben’s tactless boss.
Chasing Liberty
PG-13
2 stars
Directed by Andy Cadiff
Starring Mandy Moore
Eighteen year-old Anna Foster wants to live like any other teenager, a feat easier said than done considering that she’s the President’s daughter. While on a diplomatic trip to Europe with her family, Anna escapes the watchful eyes of the secret service with the help of Ben, a cute teenaged boy who isn’t aware of her identity.
Of all the pop princesses to turn their attention toward the big screen, Mandy Moore is arguably one of the more talented among them. However, her considerable charm is wasted on a lackluster script that’s essentially a cheesed-up version of “Roman Holiday.”
My Baby’s Daddy
PG-13
1 star
Directed by Cheryl Dunye
Starring Eddie Griffin, Anthony Anderson, Michael Imperioli
Lonnie, G and Dominic are three devil-may-care bachelors whose hard partying days abruptly come to an end when their girlfriends all become pregnant at the same time. These three boys must quickly learn to become men when faced with raising their new children.
Had “My Baby’s Daddy” put more of its efforts on becoming a comedy, it might have been an all-right flick. As it is, it’s an unfunny disaster that tries and fails to teach a lesson. Hardcore fans of Anderson or Griffin may find a few chuckles here and there, while everyone else just winces.
Something’s Gotta Give
PG-13
3 stars
Directed By Nancy Meyers
Starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves
Harry is a 63 year-old record executive and commitment-phobe who exclusively dates younger women. One of his paramours invites him to her mother’s house in the Hamptons, where he suffers a heart attack. While he recovers, he begins to fall for the mother.
Either I’m getting a lot less cynical, or these types of movies are getting better. Diane Keaton sparkles, Nicholson is at his curmudgeonly best, and both bring something fresh to their roles. Funny without ever devolving into a boilerplate bedroom farce, the dialogue is snappy but retains a real-life quality not usually found in romantic comedies.
Paycheck
PG-13
3 stars
Directed By John Woo
Starring Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti
Michael Jennings makes his living as a “reverse engineer” whose memory is routinely erased after each job to portect his clients. When he tries to collect his latest paycheck, he finds that he has voluntarily forfeited his payment in exchange for 19 everyday objects that may offer a clue to his recent past.
A great premis that is farly well executed. Even Affleck haters should have fun trying to figure out the clues with the protagonist. John Woo’s action sequences are competent, if not exactly groundbreaking. Paul Giamatti makes the most out his small role here. A capable action flick.
Peter Pan
PG-13
3 stars
Directed By P.J. Hogan
Starring Jason Isaacs, Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Hurd-Wood
Updated production of J.M. Barrie’s tale of Wendy, a stifled young girl living in Edwardian England with her brothers in a strict household. Their drudgery is relieved by Peter Pan, a boy with the power of flight who takes them on an adventure to battle the evil Captain Hook.
Audiences burned by Steven Spielberg’s lackluster Hook can take heart. This Aussie production makes great use of today’s effects technology with out getting bogged down in it. Director Hogan stays mostly true to the source material, slyly imbuing it with subtle sensual themes that won’t be found in the Disney version.
Mona Lisa Smile
2 stars
Directed by Mike Newell
Starring Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal
A progressive art history professor from Berkley tries to convince her female charges that Wellesley is more than a waypoint between high school and marriage.
No animals were harmed in the making of Mona Lisa Smile, although a number of dead horses were flogged beyond recognition. This oversimplified look at 1950’s mores and gender roles is further dulled by a preponderance of one-dimensional characters. Further infuriating is the film’s refusal to actually follow through on its thesis, instead providing a wishy-washy ending designed to mollify both right and left sides of the aisle.
Calendar Girls
PG-13
3 stars
Directed by Nigel Cole
Starring Helen Mirren, Julie Waters
In an effort to raise money for a local hospital’s visiting room, members of a Yorkshire women’s society print a charity calendar. Instead of the churches and gardens usually portrayed, they pose nude while doing their chores.
Older women get The Full Monty treatment in this British comedy. Based on a true story (to which it has apparently remained very faithful), Calendar Girls examines the expected and unexpected results of the ladies’ new found notoriety. The genuinely funny dialogue is enhanced by excellent performances from Waters and Mirren.
