How
to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Emerges a Winner
How
to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Emerges a Winner
Why does every romantic comedy have to be set in New York City these days?
First, Maid in Manhattan. Then, Two Weeks Notice. And, now, we
have How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Don't let the title fool ya. Once
again, we have a comedy about two mismatched people coming together as one.
And once again, it's set in the Big Apple. Isn't there love elsewhere? Can't
we have a love story set in Dallas? Or, Orlando? Or Des Moines?
If you ever read the interviews of people who have appeared in these recent
big-screen romances, more than a few will spout some nonsense like: "Oh,
New York is as much a character in this film as anyone." Yeah, right. You
want character? You want romantic tension? Try setting a love story in Cleveland!
Or Bismarck! Or Helena! Here would be a typical scene. Boy: "I love you,
Girl! Kiss me. Kiss me now." Girl: "I don't know. You lied to me.
I thought you were different, special. But now, I'm just not sure." Boy:
"Christ, it's cold! Can we just say we were both wrong and go inside? Oh,
just forget it! I'll find someone else. Global warming, my ass!"
End of the freakin' story! Boy meets Girl. Boy gets Girl. Boy loses Girl. Boy
tries to woo Girl back, only to chuck it all because the wind chill has dipped
below zero and he is tired of whatever Three's Company situation he has
found himself in. Write your way out of that, Hollywood script doctors!
Of course, we'll never see THAT movie. But what we will see hundreds of times
over are movies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, a witty, well-paced
romantic comedy set in New York. The film suffers from a rather clunky set-up.
But after the first 20 or so minutes, the charm and talent of its cast take
over and "How to Lose a Guy..." ends up being a really good time.
Kate Hudson stars as Andie Anderson, a perky columnist for a women's
magazine who dreams of writing political commentary, not the monthly drivel
about make-up and hairstyles she has to churn out. Matthew McConaughey
co-stars as Benjamin Barry, a hot-shot ad executive who is tired of dreaming
up ad campaigns for beer and sporting goods. He wants a shot at one of the most
lucrative accounts his firm has ever offered, the Harry Winston Diamonds.
Hudson's editor (an almost ghostly Bebe Neuwirth) promises her more editorial
freedom if she writes a story titled "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
Her assignment is to start dating a guy, then commit every terrible mistake
a woman can make to drive him away. You know. Call him snooky-wooky names, redecorate
his bachelor pad with pink lace, hound him about his past girlfriends. Whatever
it takes. At the same time, Ben bets his boss, who doesn't believe he has enough
of a sensitive side to put together an ad campaign for jewels, that he can make
any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Two shrewish co-workers (Michael
Michelle and Shalom Harlow) who want the diamond account for themselves
set him up with Andie, who they know is doing the "How to Lose a Guy"
article.
Wackiness ensues.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days has one essential ingredient that any successful
romantic comedy has to have. It is likable. It's eminently likable, in fact.
True, all of the women in the film look like they haven't eaten a cheeseburger
since the first George Bush was president. And the guys in the film are
all comically chauvinistic, poker-playing, beer-swilling, cigar-chomping cads.
But the Machiavellian lengths to which Andie and Ben are willing to go to win
their respective bets makes for a most entertaining game of one-ups-manship.
McConaughey has never been more charming in a movie, and his facial expressions
as Hudson's Andie becomes more and more "wrong" for his character
(remember, he cannot ditch her ... he desperately wants the account) are just
hilarious. Perhaps the film's comic zenith is reached when Ben is forced to
attend a "chick flick" film festival and ends up getting into a fist
fight.
Hudson, meanwhile, may finally have the lead performance that pushes her into
the box-office mainstream. Summoning all of the genetic gifts her mother has
passed to her, Goldie Hawn's daughter shows that she can also be both
daffy, sexy, and smart as her mother has shown time and time again. I'm sure
there are probably hundreds of better, out-of-work actresses who aren't the
daughters of famous actresses who will be passing by the poster for this film
and muttering things like "Skank" and "Hack." But Hudson
has that intangible for stardom. The camera loves her. So will audiences.
Audiences may also love a couple of the supporting performers, too. At least
I did. Giving the film's best performance is newcomer Kathryn Hahn, Andie's
friend and inspiration for the article. Hahn takes what could have been a very
pitiful and thankless-that of the wounded, weeping romantic-and turns her into
a slightly off-center comic creation. She looks like Ana Gasteyer's kid
sister, and I predict a bright future for her comedy if her work gets seen.
Also funny are Adam Goldberg and Thomas Lennon as Ben's office
mates, sounding boards, and cheering sections. Goldberg's deadpan humor is always
a winner, and Lennon is just one of those fly-under-the-radar types who could
start brightening many films.
I think How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a cut above the other New York-based,
mismatched pair romantic comedies. It's better than Maid in Manhattan,
Two Weeks Notice, "Two Weeks in Manhattan," "Maid on Notice,"
and all the other largely interchangeable films of its type. It's a sweet fantasy
(How much of a fantasy? The film is set against the backdrop of the Knicks winning
the NBA Championship! HA!) It will make a good Valentine's Day weekend movie
choice. Heck, it will make a good opening weekend choice.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is rated PG-13 for some sex-related
material.
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