Get "Hitch-ed!!!!!!"

Rating: 10/10 (26 February 2005)

Based upon what I saw in the trailers, my assumptions about the movie was that it would be yet another example of Hollywood's predilection with formulaic scriptwriting and lame comedies.
Boy, was I wrong, and glad of it, too! Most of the syndicated movie critics (and IMDb reviewers here) have tended to focus primarily on the performances of Smith and Eva Mendez. Since Will Smith is one of my favorite actors, comedic or otherwise, I felt that his presence could do nothing but help any film, no matter how bad. Yet, I really loved this film, and it is due mostly to the break-out performance turned in by Kevin James.
I have never watched the TV show, "King of Queens," because I think of it as a "Raymond" rip-off. Consequently, I knew virtually nothing about the comedic talents of Kevin James. He can do the kind of physical shtick that made Chris Farley famous, but unlike that one-dimensional SNL player, James can also turn in a whole range of emotional and psychological performances.
James is a comedic genius and steals every scene he is in, but does so in a way that endears himself to the audience. He does so by always turning the focus back to Smith. In both the fictional world of the movie’s story, and the reality of working in a movie with an A-list star, James knows how to defer to the lead of his partner and mentor.
“Hitch” is first and foremost, a buddy movie, and the comedic timing and chemistry between Smith and James is the best I have seen in many years. Unfortunately, there is not enough of Smith and James on screen to satisfy this movie-goer.
Smith plays Alex Hitchens (known only as “Hitch” by his clients and friends), a date counselor whose job it is to help romantically-challenged, and socially inept guys get the girl of their dreams. In the film’s beginning, Hitch meets a new client named Albert Brennerman (Kevin James) who turns out to be Hitch’s his greatest challenge to date The problem for Brennerman, and for his counselor, Hitch, is that he is head-over-heels in love with a beautiful, and filthy rich celebrity named Allegra – a woman who could get any man she wants. Brennerman has the good fortune to work for an accounting firm that has taken on Allegra as its new client.
Initially, Hitch has gave doubts that Albert could land any member of the opposite sex, let alone superstar Allegra. Yet, Hitch seems to relate to hopeless situations, and takes Albert on as his client. What follows is one of the funniest guy-to-guy relationships to ever be seen on screen.
Both Smith and James are likable individuals in their own right, and their characters reflect those likable traits as well. They play off each other in a way rarely seen on screen since the Lethal Weapon duo of Gibson and Glover.
The other subplot in the movie concerns a budding love relationship between Smith and a gossip column reporter who works for a local tabloid similar to the Enquirer. Although there are also lots of laughs to be found in this part of the film, and although the chemistry between actors Smith and Mendez seems genuine, their appearances on screen break up the overall continuity, and relies too much on Hollywood formulaic scriptwriting to get through it. Plus, their on-screen time takes away the time that would be spent between Smith and James.
I whole heartily recommend this film. It is the most delightful film I have seen all year. Although one might classify this as a “date-film,” I see no need to take a partner with you when you go.