First-time writer Jordan Cahan teams with director Howard Deutsch to release romantic comedy ‘My Best Friend’s Girl.’ It shows that it’s this guys first stunt. The film is unbearable and even dangerous, making viewers want to pour acid into their eyes.
Comedy veterans Dane Cook, Jason Biggs and Kate Hudson seemingly add credibility to the teaser posters. But their experience cannot help the film’s weak and quickly established conflict.
Misogynist Tank (Cook) has a unique job: Men pay him to date their ex-girlfriends. The plan in this: After Tank sells himself as an awful alternative to their ex-boyfriends, the women run back into their ex-boyfriends’ arms. Tank’s antics include begging a woman for fellatio, taking them to unsanitary restaurants and blasting loud, offensive music.
Tank’s bluff is predictably called when he meets his best friend’s ex-girlfriend.
Un-confident Dustin (Biggs, ‘American Pie’) fails with Alexis (Hudson, ‘You, Me, And Dupree’) and turns to Tank, his last option. Unfortunately for Dustin, though, Tank’s met his match in easy-going Alexis and his objective to help his friend is put into question.
At this point, the plot just becomes inconsistent and confusing. First, they’re dating. Then they’re not. The on-off relationship of Tank and Alexis challenges Tank’s morality. Does he betray his best friend and fall for Alexis or not?
The inconsistent story line isn’t helped by Tank’s situation handling. Tank flirtatiously swaps one-liners with Alexis in one scene; the next, he vomits in public in front of her. It becomes frustrating to watch. Needless to say, I was contemplating walking out of the theater at that point.
Feminists beware: ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’ is ripe with sexism. Tank confesses one girl’s unattractive and a ‘two-bagger:’ if her paper bag fell off, at least his would still be on. Weight is a sensitive issue to many and writer Cahan takes full advantage.
The characters aren’t likable or easily related to, unless you’re into cheap laughs at the expense of physical unattractiveness. Cook’s womanizing Tank is cliché and unoriginal; Biggs is too old to be playing the loser anymore, and Hudson’s attractiveness is offset by her self-righteous attitude.
Thinking $10 wasted, I was unexpectedly rewarded in one way. Alec Baldwin makes an appearance playing Tank’s father, and a professor of women’s studies. Ironically, he’s more womanizing than his son (we see where Tank gets his best features). Baldwin’s cameo is similar to Neil Patrick Harris’ role in Harold and Kumar: It’s iconic and makes you cheer when you are happily surprised to be something so amazing in a mediocre film.
At one memorable moment, Tank discusses that ‘[Alexis] is gonna cry tears…’ See this movie and you’ll go down the same path.
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