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Hitch |
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Hitch |
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Review by Donner |
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Columbia
Pictures Presents
The cure for the common man. Reviewed 1.14.2005
Directed by Andy Tennant |
Romanic comedies are the stuff that my vomit is made out of. Out of all the genres out there, the romantic comedy is the most tired and boring there is. Sure, I know that some people actually like watching the same story over and over again especially if it involves Julia Roberts or Hugh Grant playing a bumbling moron, but I want something new and unique… something that will make me say, hey! I didn’t see that coming!
Even that rarely happens, but sometimes it blessedly does. Take Hitch for example. This movie about Will Smith playing a date doctor who has women figured out – at least in his own mind is such an unoriginal but funny and tolerable movie anyway. The cast makes it work, the director has pretty much everything happening at a fast clip, and - even though it lasts thirty minutes longer than it should have - it does go by pretty fast. The story is that Hitch (Will Smith) has devoted his life to secretively helping good men find the love of their lives by helping them open the eyes of shallow females. Hitch is a smooth man himself and, while helping a plump little tax attorney (Kevin James) win over the heart of a beautiful rich heiress in the vein of Paris Hilton, he falls for a no-nonsense lady played by Eva Mendes who writes a gossip columnist. Just so you get this in your head correctly, Hitch wants to keep what he does a secret, he’s working to hook up a famous rich heiress, and he decides to date a gossip columnist. That move is about as smart as the guy who gave Uwe Boll a multi picture deal.
Like most romantic comedies, Hitch isn’t that special or that original. You know at the very beginning that the guys are going to end up with the girls after the same old misunderstandings, fallouts, and make-ups. The thing that makes Hitch a tolerable movie is its delivery more than anything else. This is just a fun movie with an appealing cast and, although the story is cookie-cutter, the script is witty and quite funny. I know that Will Smith is going to get a lot of press because of this movie, but I don't think enough attention is being paid to Kevin James. James plays Albert, the sweet but socially retarded guy who hires Hitch to help him win the heart of the heiress. Kevin James is hilarious in this movie and, to be honest, I couldn't imagine another person in this role. James plays Albert with a mixture of clumsiness and sweet sincerity that made me completely buy that he was in love with this woman and not just after a piece of tail. Will Smith is great too and, as I said, Hitch sails along thanks largely to the charm and charisma of its actors. Hitch exists solely as a low calorie movie to take your sweetie to (or, in some cases, drag your boyfriend or husband to) for Valentine's Day. This isn't a movie that's going to surprise you and it's awfully formulaic, but it is tolerable and, dare I say it... enjoyable. So, guys, if your honey wants to see this movie don't fret... it's safe and won't melt your brain inside your skull. |
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Sadly,
though, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen with the romantic comedy. It’s
a genre that has largely exhausted all of its tricks and a genre that filmmakers
are unwilling to take risks with to turn it into something unexpected and
unique. So, instead of hoping for anything new from a romantic comedy, I usually
just hope for something at least tolerable.
