Failure to Launch
By: Patrick Vu | Category: Film Reviews | 03/15/06 | 12:10 AM
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 Grade: D+ |
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: It won't change your outlook on love and life, but it might help you pass a couple of hours. Otherwise, spare yourself Terry Bradshaw's cottage cheese behind because this film is a stinker.
We should have known better when we saw the word "Failure" in the movie title. While we would never judge a book by its cover, especially one featuring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, a movie title can speak a thousand words. Sure, Failure to Launch may have not been such a failure in it's opening weekend, but it has set itself up for the numerous play-on-words that will foreshadow how quickly this film will fade away. Systems won't be a go for much longer, and as fast it launched to the top, it's sure to come crashing down.
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So the premise is quite simple. A 35 year-old adult male, Trip, is still living at home with his folks, who are reduced to hiring specialist, Paula, to woo him out of the nest. Her strategy: "You look nice, you find out what they like, and you pretend to like it, too." Are you taking notes? However, can a guy with the looks, money and women that Trip has really be content to spend the rest of his life sleeping across the hall from mom and dad played by Kathy Bates and a very bare backed (more on that later) Terry Bradshaw?
To justify his lifestyle of choice, Trip surrounds himself with his like-minded buds Demo (Bradley Cooper) and Ace (Justin Bartha) who are his wingman and strongest allies. It would take a "stick of dynamite" to bust these guys out of their parents' home, and it seems nothing will motivate them to think anything else. In comes Paula.
My problem with Paula is that she doesn't seem to be any more special than the other woman that have crossed Trip's path. She has rules like "I never sleep with my clients," but inevitably drops her skirt to get him to not breakup with her when he introduces her to his parents...a tactic used to scare off women he's ready to let loose. I don't buy that Paula is the woman that does it for Trip and that she is the one that will finally get him to break away from mom and dad. She's pretty enough, but in the end is too bland and nothing like a woman for whom we would want to change our lives.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper
Director: Tom Dey |
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Another problem is that during the course of the film, Trip is bitten by a chipmunk, lizard, and a dolphin of all things. It's not only a means to get a quick laugh, but it's supposed to be nature's way of rejecting Trip because it is not natural for him to still be living at home...not necessarily because he's 35 years old, but because it doesn't make sense for him to do so. Even nature's creatures can tell you this is a dumb movie.
The big revelation comes when Paula discovers that Trip has basically put himself in a state of suppressed depression after his fiancé died a few years back. Instead of moving on he finds comfort at home. It's what's supposed to make sense of everything but unfortunately fails to justify the 8 bucks we spent to see this film. The moment is glanced over and your annoyance with the film and its characters build.
Of course plans are foiled when Trip discovers what's been going on behind his back so now his parents, fake girlfriend Paula, and his buds are in a panic to fix things before the credits roll. I won't ruin the ending, but for anyone with common sense and a basic knowledge of the Hollywood formula, I'm sure you'll be able to guess what happens. Let's just say at the end, the dolphins make friendly with Trip. Now, the end that will probably ruin it for you belongs to Superbowl Champ and current NFL on Fox analyst Terry Bradshaw. Someone thought it would be funny to showcase his wide load on the wide screen; however, the joke's on him. Hopefully Howie Long will set him straight.
See this film if you must for you will get easy laughs and no brainer entertainment. It won't change your outlook on love and life, but it will help you pass a couple of hours. Otherwise, spare yourself Terry Bradshaw's cottage cheese behind because this film is a stinker.
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