The movie industry has cooked up yet another romantic comedy following their tried-and-true recipe. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days felt like they took 20 movies from the last three years and threw them in a blender to make the same old, dry, bland Hollywood cake, fooling us all with fresh icing.
The Paramount Pictures movie, directed by Donald Petrie, lacks in originality.
It starts off with a journalist, Andie (Kate Hudson) trying to climb the ladder of success at her women’s magazine by taking on a story where she fools someone in her personal life (Never Been Kissed).
Then there is the guy, Ben (Matthew McConaughey) who makes a bet with his friends and boss to get the girl (She’s All That).
Despite the situation, they fall in love.
Their foolish friends discover the secret of their double-betrayal (10 Things I Hate About You). She runs away from the ball crying (Cinderella). Time goes by, she is about to leave, guy chases girl, kiss, credits and voila—every romantic comedy ever made!
Not that it is not an enjoyable movie- Kate Hudson is very cute. She’s warmer than Julia Stiles, less unique than Julia Roberts, and not at all as comedically talented as Sandra Bullock.
Playing Penny Lane in Almost Famous proved her acting ability, but she has little ability to bring the shallow character of Andie alive.
The comedic aspect of the movie comes from the coffee table book “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” by Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long, mocking all of the things girls do wrong when beginning a relationship.
From naming his penis the third day of knowing him, calling 17 times a day and leaving feminine hygiene products at his house, Andie does everything possible to drive Ben away.
Her attempt to lose him feels more like watching a train wreck than a comedy, mostly because we all know girls who do these things.
Overall, the movie is simple and cute. For two hours, you will not think about your roommates’ problems, money or that we will probably go to war.
With all the chaos and reality TV in the world, I think everyone is willing to pay $7.50 for a two-hour lobotomy—for the safety and security of being read the Cinderella story one more time.
