Tuesday, March 06, 2007

So you're saying we CAN'T just be friends? "My Super Ex-Girlfriend"

I know what you're thinking, and you're right. Dame Judi Dench was originally considered for this role.

I remember seeing the trailer for "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and thinking, "You know, that could be funny, but probably not." Then the reviews rolled in, confirming my suspicions. Did that keep my wife and I from watching it on DVD last weekend? Does the Pope wear a funny hat?

Our story, such as it is, starts with mild-mannered Luke Wilson, the real reason my wife was interested. (She confessed to not being able to decide which Wilson brother she liked best -- Luke, Owen or Mookie.) Unlucky in love, Wilson happens across a seemingly buttoned-down type on the subway, and they strike up a romance. Unbeknownst to him, though, the woman (Uma Thurman, slumming) is a superhero in her other life. Yes, this is a world where "G-Girl" swoops around saving the day. Just go with it.

Alas, Luke sours on Uma, mostly because he's hot for his co-worker. That's Anna Faris, who was hilarious in "Lost in Translation" and "Just Friends" but is unfortunately restrained here. It's really a shame, given what she can do. She's so bad that we weren't sure it was her until the end credits. That's not good.

Anyway, Luke breaks it off, but a scorned superhero can cause all sorts of problems. Sadly, none of this is very clever. Hey, she put his car into orbit. Ha ha ha. Hey, she threw a shark through a window. Ho ho ho. Yes, it's as hokey as it sounds. The main supporting guys -- Dwight from "The Office" as Wilson's friend, Eddie Izzard (also restrained) as the villain, as it were -- also bring little to the proceedings.

So yeah, not much here, and kind of a shame given the abilities of these actors -- Thurman more than Wilson, of course. While Uma has the body of a superhero, she pretty much misfires in this role, being convincing neither as the hero nor the alter ego. And when she's mad, it's just crude, not funny. The climax -- again, as it were -- is appropriately unsatisfying as well. But as the great Brian Flanagan said, "All things end badly, or else they wouldn't end."

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home