I a getting tired of the over-confident characters Matthew McConaughey plays. In 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days', 'Sahara', 'Two for the Money' and now 'Failure to Launch' we have seen this character. It kind of works in dramatic films, and when done right maybe in a romantic comedy, but not when he has the face of McConaughey. In the end you simply can't see why the female lead falls for this guy. Here it may have something to do with a personal tragedy, which means she feels sorry, not love.
Sarah Jessica Parker is Paula. Her job is to date men who still live with their parents, being a substitute care-taker. Therefore the men will want to leave their parents to join her. Her latest client is Tripp (McConaughey), hired by his parents (including Kathy Bates). We also meet two of his friends, also still living with their parents, and her roommate. She is Kit (Zooey Deschanel), the weird and most interesting character in this film.
Since every romantic comedy as made in Hollywood needs the leads unexpectedly falling in love, a crisis, in the end getting back together, and an interesting story involving the sidekicks. The crisis, since she is hired by the parents, is logical from the start, all of the rest happens too. The sidekicks story is funny enough, also dealing with love, but the film throws in a bunch of animals as extra sidekicks. We have stupid sequences involving chipmunks, dolphins and a mockingbird (well, that one kind of works). To fill time we have the guy stuff sequences including mountain biking, rock climbing and paint balling.
Admittedly, I was able to smile from time to time and I was not bored. It delivers what it promises it will, so complaining seems wrong. Still, the film could have done without McConaughey and the time filling sequences, and maybe the focus should have been on the Deschanel love story. I guess that would have meant a complete other film. I think I might have enjoyed that one more.
Sarah Jessica Parker is Paula. Her job is to date men who still live with their parents, being a substitute care-taker. Therefore the men will want to leave their parents to join her. Her latest client is Tripp (McConaughey), hired by his parents (including Kathy Bates). We also meet two of his friends, also still living with their parents, and her roommate. She is Kit (Zooey Deschanel), the weird and most interesting character in this film.
Since every romantic comedy as made in Hollywood needs the leads unexpectedly falling in love, a crisis, in the end getting back together, and an interesting story involving the sidekicks. The crisis, since she is hired by the parents, is logical from the start, all of the rest happens too. The sidekicks story is funny enough, also dealing with love, but the film throws in a bunch of animals as extra sidekicks. We have stupid sequences involving chipmunks, dolphins and a mockingbird (well, that one kind of works). To fill time we have the guy stuff sequences including mountain biking, rock climbing and paint balling.
Admittedly, I was able to smile from time to time and I was not bored. It delivers what it promises it will, so complaining seems wrong. Still, the film could have done without McConaughey and the time filling sequences, and maybe the focus should have been on the Deschanel love story. I guess that would have meant a complete other film. I think I might have enjoyed that one more.