Not What I'd Hoped For

Rating: 5/10 (15 November 2009)

I like these characters. I like the actors. In fact, it's a terrific cast. Ryan Reynolds is great. He has the looks, the build, the acting skill and the screen presence to be a leading man. I hope someday soon he finds a role that challenges him and exposes his true talent. Sandra Bullock does what she does best: she's a master of comic subterfuge and misrepresentation. The supporting cast, a few of my favorites, are left with table scraps and cliché.
This movie suffices as passable living room entertainment but misses the bulls-eye by a mile. Some of it is banal and some of it falls victim to bad writing and directing. It's supposed to be an adult comedy and yet there are times when it's moments away from a fart joke. It also suffers from poor timing. The three-act structure collapses and it ends abruptly and without conviction.
If you go into it without expectations, and you're happy with the way actors look at each other in a movie, you'll be entertained. I enjoyed myself but I have no interest in ever watching it again. For that, I blame the writers, producer and director.