My review may contain spoilers, however the final paragraph does not.
To begin, 'My Best Friend's Girl' is a very lame attempt at a slapstick rom-com. With Dane Cook in the driver's seat, the movie looks as if it's trying to imitate 'Employee of the Month' or one of his other, generally quite funny movies. However, with Jason Biggs supporting, and a few scenes of accidental comedy, this movie also feels like it's trying to hop on the same train as American Pie. Then when you throw in Kate Hudson, everything goes horribly horribly wrong.
The premise of the story is a good one; a down on his luck nice guy, Dustin, is dumped by his pretty girlfriend, Alexis, and so, asks his womanising best friend, Tank, to do what he does best and take her on the worst date of her life, so she'll go back to him out of disgust. This comedic tale takes a turn for the worse however, when the womanising best friend falls in love with the pretty (now ex) girlfriend, and things get very complicated.
It's at this point that Jason Biggs (Dustin) disappears for a long long time, returning only for the vomit inducing finale. Which was probably a good move, considering the likeness to his character in American Pie, makes Dustin seem like a naive teen and the story really doesn't work as Kate Hudson plays Alexis as a 30 something year old working woman looking for a few flings. Enter Dane Cook, with possibly the worst performance of the lot, but still, probably the most honest. He plays Tank the same way he played the lead in the other 2 of his movies, the experienced playboy who falls hopelessly in love, and by now, that act is wearing a little thin. He is the one who gets the most laughs mind... make that the only laughs.
As the film progresses on and Tank and Alexis become an item, with Dustin gone and no back story as to where he is; Alexis' sister's wedding approaches, where Tank finally decides that he's done wrong by his best friend and plans to ruin the wedding in spectacular style. Cue ridiculous and offencive jokes that are not only un-humorous but seriously crude and uncalled for, as well as ridiculous and slapstick happenings that are too far from reality. And all this just to give his best friend back his girlfriend, who in the end, re-surfaces, only to say he doesn't want his girlfriend back after-all. What a stupid ending. But wait, there's more...
3 months later, Tank is on a date with another woman in the same restaurant where Alexis and her roommate when Alexis suddenly decides "Hey, he may be an ass, but he's sweet," leading to a silly argument between the two in the middle of a crowded restaurant, ending with them attempting to swallow each other's faces. Leaving a cheesy ending as the cherry on top of the rom-com cake that lacks the yeast of comedy, meaning it's a goopy, un-entertaining mess.
There are a few exceptions to the awfulness of this movie however. Alec Baldwin is excellent as Tank's father, capturing the ageing bachelor perfectly. Also, the underrated Lizzy Caplan is great as Alexis' roommate Amy, playing the too-old party girl very well indeed. But these minor exceptions are outgrown by the terrible script, average direction and unlovable characters.
To conclude, if you are looking for a decent rom-com to watch with the girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband stay away from this movie. If you are looking for a bit of fun on a lazy afternoon (like I was), stay away from this movie. And even if you are a brain dead cretin who will laugh at anything, STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE. And before you ask... yes, it really is THAT bad.
To begin, 'My Best Friend's Girl' is a very lame attempt at a slapstick rom-com. With Dane Cook in the driver's seat, the movie looks as if it's trying to imitate 'Employee of the Month' or one of his other, generally quite funny movies. However, with Jason Biggs supporting, and a few scenes of accidental comedy, this movie also feels like it's trying to hop on the same train as American Pie. Then when you throw in Kate Hudson, everything goes horribly horribly wrong.
The premise of the story is a good one; a down on his luck nice guy, Dustin, is dumped by his pretty girlfriend, Alexis, and so, asks his womanising best friend, Tank, to do what he does best and take her on the worst date of her life, so she'll go back to him out of disgust. This comedic tale takes a turn for the worse however, when the womanising best friend falls in love with the pretty (now ex) girlfriend, and things get very complicated.
It's at this point that Jason Biggs (Dustin) disappears for a long long time, returning only for the vomit inducing finale. Which was probably a good move, considering the likeness to his character in American Pie, makes Dustin seem like a naive teen and the story really doesn't work as Kate Hudson plays Alexis as a 30 something year old working woman looking for a few flings. Enter Dane Cook, with possibly the worst performance of the lot, but still, probably the most honest. He plays Tank the same way he played the lead in the other 2 of his movies, the experienced playboy who falls hopelessly in love, and by now, that act is wearing a little thin. He is the one who gets the most laughs mind... make that the only laughs.
As the film progresses on and Tank and Alexis become an item, with Dustin gone and no back story as to where he is; Alexis' sister's wedding approaches, where Tank finally decides that he's done wrong by his best friend and plans to ruin the wedding in spectacular style. Cue ridiculous and offencive jokes that are not only un-humorous but seriously crude and uncalled for, as well as ridiculous and slapstick happenings that are too far from reality. And all this just to give his best friend back his girlfriend, who in the end, re-surfaces, only to say he doesn't want his girlfriend back after-all. What a stupid ending. But wait, there's more...
3 months later, Tank is on a date with another woman in the same restaurant where Alexis and her roommate when Alexis suddenly decides "Hey, he may be an ass, but he's sweet," leading to a silly argument between the two in the middle of a crowded restaurant, ending with them attempting to swallow each other's faces. Leaving a cheesy ending as the cherry on top of the rom-com cake that lacks the yeast of comedy, meaning it's a goopy, un-entertaining mess.
There are a few exceptions to the awfulness of this movie however. Alec Baldwin is excellent as Tank's father, capturing the ageing bachelor perfectly. Also, the underrated Lizzy Caplan is great as Alexis' roommate Amy, playing the too-old party girl very well indeed. But these minor exceptions are outgrown by the terrible script, average direction and unlovable characters.
To conclude, if you are looking for a decent rom-com to watch with the girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband stay away from this movie. If you are looking for a bit of fun on a lazy afternoon (like I was), stay away from this movie. And even if you are a brain dead cretin who will laugh at anything, STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE. And before you ask... yes, it really is THAT bad.