The Ex (1/10)
by Tony Medley
In order for a
movie to have a chance there has to be something about it that is
likeable. I recently reviewed a film called Georgia Rule. It had
very little to like. But it did have one thing, a spectacular
performance by Lindsay Lohan. I liked that so much I gave the film a
positive rating.
The Ex,
on the other hand, has absolutely nothing about it that is likeable. The
protagonist, Tom Reilly (Zach Braff), is a dishonest schlimazel. Worse,
Braff’s presence in the film industry is puzzling enough. But for him to
be playing romantic leads, as he did in The Last Kiss and here,
is mind-boggling. I don’t want to be unkind, but the man is not Brad
Pitt or Cary Grant. Married to Amanda Peet (who plays Reilly’s wife,
Sofia Kowalski)? I don’t think so. When Sofia declares her love for Tom
at the end of the film, one wonders what the basis for the love is,
because throughout the film Tom does nothing to justify it from her, or
from anyone else for that matter.
Actually, the
cast contains some people who should know better. Sofia’s parents,
Amelia and Bob Kowalski, are played by Mia Farrow and Charles Grodin.
Grodin is generally a big addition to any film, funny and competent. But
there’s not much Charles or Mia can do with this woeful script (David
Guion & Michael Handelman). These writers have not only created a
distinctly unlikeable protagonist, but an unbelievable bad guy, Chip
Sanders (Jason Bateman). How Chip has chosen to live his life is absurd.
Lost in the mix with only a spare few lines is Amy Poehler, who plays
one of Tom’s co-workers, Carol Lane. She gives a good account of
herself, but it’s one of those roles where you have to look closely or
you’ll miss her. In truth, her character has no reason to be there.
There are so many
ridiculous premises in this film that it would serve no purpose to list
them all. Just about every method of operation used by the people who
run the advertising agency Tom is going to work for would look to be
about right for kindergarten. But anyone progressing out of kindergarten
would have outgrown them all.
The idea is that
Sofia gives birth shortly after the film opens and since Tom has lost
every job he’s ever had they leave New York for him to take a job with
her father while she quits her job as an attorney to raise their child.
Tom finds that her father has turned the firm over to Chip, who, it
turns out, is an old flame of Sofia’s. Tom shows up for his first day on
the job to find that his troubles have only begun.
As to Sofia’s
birthing, director Jesse Peretz apparently has no experience with
mothers, because almost immediately after the baby is born she looks as
if she could go to a ball, with perfect makeup and not a line on her
face from the ordeal. I asked my friend, who had five babies, if that’s
the way one looked after giving birth and she laughed.
Maybe what follows
is intended as humor. Nobody in my showing was laughing. I saw it on
opening night and there couldn’t have been 20 people in the theater for
the 7:40 p.m. showing. I think that might be its high water mark.
This film, no
comedy, is an insult to its audience’s intelligence.
May 12, 2007
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