By Kevin McCarthy

I used to revere the Farrelly brothers.  They were pretty much in a league of their own in the ‘90s with classic comedies DUMB & DUMBER, KINGPIN and THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. But this decade has seen more misses than hits for the tandem and I wonder if they haven’t gone soft on me, abandoning their racier stuff for more commercial humor.  I guess it was lucky that I went into THE HEARTBREAK KID not knowing they were behind the camera because it made the experience less disappointing.  All said, however, this film is not much more than a formulaic rom-com with a few dirty details mixed in. 

One of THE HEARTBREAK KID’s trailers quotes a reviewer as saying something along the lines of “an adult comedy that’s actually for adults!” Although it’s true that this is not part of the growing genre of slacking bachelor comedies hitting theaters (of which I’m an unapologetic fan), I think what the quote really means is you’re not going to like this movie unless you’re old, and lame.  While the film does a decent job of side-stepping the sophomoric, the end product comes across as a little too subdued. 

From these months of trailers the basic plot can be discerned – as well as all the funny parts in the movie.  Yeah, it’s one of those.  Ben Stiller plays Eddie Cantrow, a 40something owner of a San Francisco sporting goods store who’s afraid of commitment (shocker). He meets Malin Akerman’s Lily and falls hard.  Fed up with being the perennial bachelor, Eddie decides to take the plunge after just six weeks.  On their honeymoon in Cabo, Eddie begins to uncover the mistake he’s made while at the same time meeting Miranda (Michelle Monaghan).  From there on out, you have Ben Stiller being Ben Stiller – alternately cranky and puppy-eyed with some goofy mixed in.  So there you have your basic man-meets-woman-under-false-pretensions, man-and-woman-fall-in-love, woman-finds-out-and-leaves, man-wins-her-back romantic comedy bullshit we’ve all seen before. 


Some people can accept that and take pleasure in the particulars, but I’m not the type of guy who enjoys knowing it’s all going to turn out alright.  I demand more of my Farrelly’s.  Granted, this is a remake of a 1972 film penned by Neil Simon, but they had a hand in the screenplay and if they’re going to put their names up first before rolling the end credits, then they’ve earned a tongue-lashing by yours truly.  That the creators of some of the classic comedies of all time cribbed from such tired plot arcs is disheartening.  Stiller, too, for whom I’m a bit of an apologist.  I worry his shtick might be aging.  Carlos Mencia plays a supporting role as – what else – a stereotypical Mexican.  It’s just as unfunny here as it is on his Comedy Central show.

THE HEARTBREAK KID is going to find an audience, I’m sure. It debuted behind only THE GAME PLAN, and NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM has proven Stiller’s worth in the middle America demographic. It’s not really a film for which I can drum up a lot of ire.  There are much worse offenders of movie tropes out there – this weekend’s top movie among them, I imagine.  And it’s tough to dash all that respect for its directors.  Plus, I have to hand it to them for casting some gorgeous women in the female leads. But down the road, THE HEARTBREAK KID will not be gain a place among comedy canon.  It’s a decent comedic alternative to the first wave of prestige films out right now, but one that’s unoriginal and ultimately forgettable. You’ve seen the movie in its trailers anyhow.  Do yourself a favor and watch THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY again to hold you over until THE DARJEELING LIMITED gets a wide release.