Comedic due faces off
By Nicole Rodriguez
From the moment they hit junior high, most women usually find themselves dealing with the same problem: how to keep a guy.
Oddly enough, however, the premise of Paramount Pictures' latest release tries to teach women to lose them in a matter of 10 days.
Based on the best-selling book of the same name, "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" stars a delightfully bubbly Kate Hudson ("The Four Feathers") as Andie Anderson, the official "how to" girl for Composure magazine (obviously modeled after the real-life Cosmopolitan). While attempting to cheer up a recently dumped friend, Andie finds her inspiration for her next article: she will begin dating a guy and then attempt to lose him by doing everything girls do wrong in relationships.
Across town, advertising executive Ben Barry (Matthew McConaughey) is competing with two of his female co-workers to be able to pitch a sale to a large diamond company. In a desperate plea, Ben accepts his boss's challenge to make a woman of his colleague's choosing fall in love with him within 10 days.
If Ben succeeds, he gets the account. If he fails, it goes to his malicious co-worker (former model Shalom Harlow).
Already informed of Andie's upcoming article, the colleague steers Ben to Andie, sure that Andie's actions will make Ben run before the 10 days are up. Both Andie and Ben are so driven to succeed in their tasks, that what ensues is a hilariously funny battle of wills story that ultimately, as is expected from the genre, ends in true love.
Although it does little to stray from the standard romantic comedy formula, "How to Lose a Guy" proves to be an enjoyable, albeit predictable, two hours.
Hudson, who seems have kept a fairly quiet profile since her Oscar nominated turn as Penny Lane in 2000's "Almost Famous," proves to have real potential as a leading romantic actress.
The scripting requires that Andie jump from bubbly and over the top to serious and intelligent from scene to scene, and Hudson tackles the challenge with the poise and skill of a Hollywood veteran.
Although McConaughey's last attempt at romantic comedy (2001's Jennifer Lopez flop "The Wedding Planner") was a miserable failure, his smoldering onscreen chemistry with Hudson ensures a graceful rebound back into the romantic comedy genre. He has both the natural talent and the handsome face required of the genre.
McCon-aughey's wonderful performance in this film ensures that he will most probably be given the opportunity to pump out a few more of these feel good flicks before his career is over.
Sure, "Guy" is a little over done and many of the supporting characters are cliched and one dimensional, but nobody ever said that a chick flick was supposed to be a work of genius. Audiences just require that it's both touching and entertaining. And "Guy's" combination of beautiful leads and witty scripting proves to be just that.
You may not remember this movie 10 years from now, but it is certainly a good way to spend your Valentine's Day weekend.