Directed By: Mark Waters
Written By: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
Staring: Lacey Chabert, Michael Douglas, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Brecklin Meyer, Emma Stone, Robert Forster, and Anne Archer
All this film does is placate to a woman’s fantasy that all men, even the worst of the worst, deep down inside just want to get married. It pretentiously indulges the idea that it’s okay for women to act like Bridezilla’s , and desperate dim wits who succumb to the moronic behavior of a man that treats women badly. For the men who actually do want to settle down, they are somehow depicted as wishy washy wimps. The obvious stereotyping on each side is boring and insulting, even with McConaughey’s charm. What is wrong with the idea of accepting the fact that the lines between the sexes and relationships have been greyed in the past decade and have someone make an intelligent romantic comedy about that?
Basically they’ve taken A Christmas Carol and contorted it into a romantic comedy that wasn’t funny. Matthew McConaughey plays a womanizing pig who is taken through his past, present, and future with ghosts that show him how his intolerance for love and relationships is ruining his life and affecting those around him.
Michael Douglas shamelessly shaking his finger at McConaughey with some weird offbeat recital as a ghost was uncomfortable and far from Douglas’s obvious talents. The writing is so bad, even he can’t make it sound fluent. McConaughey , the Scrooge of relationships is being taught a lesson that lacks any real personal depth. At least with Bill Murray there was enough depth to realize it wasn’t just relationships that destroyed him, it was his life as a whole. It was his personality traits that defined his relationships, where in this film it was the relationships that defined who he was. It was far less substantial and it totally lacked any substance.
McConaughey’s charm was annoying, which is disparaging considering he’s usually the most tolerable aspect of the bad movies he’s 
in. In contrast, I never thought I’d say it, but thank the stars for Jennifer Garner saving the screen every once in awhile. Falling asleep seemed inevitable until she spiced up the screen with a voice of reason, constantly pointing out the obvious nonsense of the surrounding film. Unfortunately the ending even killed the strength of her character by continuing to victimize women and giving the impression that women are easily manipulated instead of acknowledging that they could be willing partners. The ideal is dated, and we as two sexes have moved further past this concept.
The obvious and desperate notion that EVERYONE is always searching for love is offensive to half of the human race that is widely driven by things other than finding Mr. or Mrs. Right. The insult that because someone gets their heart broken once as an adolescent means they are destined for jerkism is a bit too easy isn’t it? Even though Douglas does offer a few chuckles, most of the man lessons and McConaughey’s pathetic transformation into the “man” is awful. The film contradicts itself by making womanizing cool, but then saying, “oh it’s sooooooooo wrong”. Women are portrayed as being pathetically impressionable and thinkless vessels for a mans prowess. Everything about this movie is ignorant to the intelligence and empathy of it’s viewers. As though the only reason men womanize is to avoid getting “hurt”. Seriously? It has nothing to do with sex or the desire for intimacy on a different level? Let us not go there.
This film is simply dated. For those that still cling to the idea that men can be “fixed”, I guess this might have some appeal for you, but I feel like the general public will be outraged by it’s degrading agenda. This film was unoriginal and uninspired. Men are smarter than this movie, and women are not so blind and desperate . If it was supposed to be sweet, funny, or clever, I missed it by a thousand miles. This was one of the worst movies, and most frustrating to sit through that I’ve seen in a long time.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Heather – you confirmed everything I expected this film to be about based on the 60 seconds I’ve spent with these characters, and as the commercial only has about 12 seconds of Jennifer, that’s 48 seconds too many.
Really feel bad for Jennifer Garner. She deserved a better film career, but I’m afraid she’s one or two more ‘vehicle’ script choices away from a 5 year contract as ‘abused, abandoned, inspiring, wrongly convicted, wife, girlfriend, daughter’ of the week on Lifetime.
MRL
I just saw this with a bunch of girlfriends and we all laughed and enjoyed it but maybe it was the gf commeradery or perhaps the mucho drinks before the movie.
Hahahahaha @ ME
Drinks before the movie may have helped you enjoy it, and I’m sure it had it’s appeal in some area’s, but I just felt personally attacked through the entirety. I expected to at least find some redeeming qualities and was surprised that it was as bad as I felt it was. 38% of critics on rotten tomatoes agreed with you though.
Marc,
I feel the same way about Jennifer Garner. I’ve never been a huge fan, but I’ve seen talent in her in Juno, and I even liked her in 13 going on 30. However, I agree a few more mis-steps like this film and we might see her making out with Bruce Boxleitner. Not too awful in my thoughts. Ha.
-Heather
Thanks for this review heather, just like you I enjoyed jennifer garner in 13 going on 30, i thought it was a really cute movie, but I think I will take your advice and not even waste my time watching this, I wasted 15 mins watching get smart and I will never get those 15 mins back lol. Thanks again!!!
I’d advise against it. It was remarkably bad.
What’s wrong with Bruce Boxleitner?
I meant that in a positive from a negative. He does a lot of lifetime movies now.
If Bruce is busy I’m always available, should she get tired of Matt Damons ex.
hi am lili from kosovo ay like mettew adn jennifer ay think they are great acter at a great movie from you ay belive
good luck bye
Any movie with Matthew McConaghey is going to suck.
Moviejunkie,
Matthew McConaughey has a certain swagger that’s reminiscent of Harrison Ford, not that charming, but there is something about him that is irresistible. I just wish he would choose to be irresistible in other genres of film.
Heather
I am with jennifer garner on this one their should have been fricken NINJAS!!!!! lol