Tag: Matthew McConaughey

‘My Boyfriend’s Back’ (1993) Review

High schooler Johnny Dingle (Andrew Lowery) has been in love with Missy (Traci Lind) since childhood. He stages a robbery at her job to win her heart and ask her to the prom, but instead ends up shot and killed when he takes a real bullet meant for Missy. When Johnny resurfaces as a zombie, he’s still determined to take Missy to prom – but his decaying body proves to be an obstacle, and he’s told that he needs to eat fresh flesh to remain intact in order to make it to prom.

I did not have high expectations for My Boyfriend’s Back, but honestly, I found it to be pretty entertaining! It’s a ridiculous movie, but it leans into its ridiculousness, which is the only way this movie works. When Johnny returns as a zombie, everyone just accepts it – it’s a little weird, sure, but hey, it is what it is. That’s when I knew this movie had the potential to be a lot of fun.

My Boyfriend’s Back reminded me quite a bit of Better Off Dead, solely in its humor and how it’s used. Especially the sharp one-liners – Okay, well, you’re dead. Which is unusual, because we don’t normally see this much activity in a dead person – and flighty, barely present parents – indeed, Johnny’s mother is so supportive of her now undead son that she brings him home a live child to eat, and shoves a dead man in their fridge later on in case he wants a snack.

There’s also the cast, which is quite impressive. My Boyfriend’s Back featured the film debuts of Matthew Fox (Lost, Party of Five), as Missy’s jock boyfriend, Buck, and Matthew McConaughey, as sadly, Guy #2. But you’ll also spot Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cloris Leachman! None of them are used very well, but it’s still nice to see their faces.

At the heart of the movie is Johnny’s love for Missy. He literally returned from the dead to be with her. And even though Johnny is quite literally falling apart, Missy begins to return his affection, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend, Buck, and her father, who happens to be the Sheriff. I wouldn’t say Andrew Lowery and Traci Lind have sizzling chemistry, but they’re cute enough that it doesn’t completely derail the movie’s romance.

I do think Lowery was the weak link of the entire film. Don’t get me wrong, he’s fine, but maybe with a more charismatic actor, Johnny could have been a more interesting character/zombie. As it is, he’s rather average, and I think that keeps My Boyfriend’s Back from being a really good zombie rom-com. Maybe McConaughey would have succeeded in the role instead of a theatergoer with two lines. Hindsight is 20/20, of course.

Ultimately, My Boyfriend’s Back is a comedy engaging enough to keep your attention. I found the humor to be the most memorable part of the movie, though I don’t imagine I will revisit it. If you like your spooky movies with a light-hearted tone, or you just need a break from the jump scares and gore, I suggest giving this one a watch.

Watched: 10/09/2024
Notable Song: The One I Love by The Sextants

Rating:

10/09/2024
‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ (2003) Review

Journalist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) works at Composure Magazine as the “How to” woman, though she is desperate to report on more significant matters. Her next column becomes ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’, which requires her to date a guy and use every trick in the book to get him to dump her before the ten days are up.

Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) is an advertising executive looking to land a huge diamond campaign. He bets his boss and two of his co-workers that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days… if he wins, he gets the campaign. His coworkers already know about Andie’s new column and deliberately chose her for Ben. She decides he’s the perfect guy for her column when he hits on her at a party.

I had not seen How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in a long time, so it was fun to watch again. I asked myself frequently if it had always been so cringe-y, but I suppose that’s part of its charm.

Kate Hudson goes for the jugular as an obsessive, obnoxious girlfriend who uses baby talk and moves her things in too soon. She interrupts Ben’s poker night, forces him to miss the end of an exciting NBA playoff game, and covers his bathroom in pink and feminine hygiene products.

She even puts together a photo album full of creepy photos to foreshadow their future. But, while disturbed and annoyed, Ben doesn’t do the same thing that most men would do… which would be breaking up with her!

As awful as some of these scenes regarding secondhand embarrassment, I found them amusing. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is from the era of ridiculously plotted rom-coms, but that’s part of what made them fun.

Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey have some really great chemistry. While the majority of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is Andie acting batshit crazy, we get some genuine, authentic interaction between the two characters in the final act when Ben takes Andie home to meet his family. This is where Andie and Ben drop the bullshit – during a game of Bullshit, no less – and start being honest with each other.

As fun as it was to watch their chaotic relationship begin, I felt a sense of relief when that finally ended, and the real love story began. Director Donald Petrie does an excellent job of giving us enough time to see them together as they truly are before the conclusion, so the actual falling in love part of the movie doesn’t seem rushed.

Petrie is a director who is a bit hit-and-miss for me. I loved Mystic Pizza, but really hated Little Italy. Thankfully, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days strikes a balance somewhere between those two movies for me. I don’t think it’s a perfect rom-com, but let’s face it, it will probably end up on the top ten lists for many rom-com lovers out there. Despite how messy it is, there’s just something about it that makes it entertaining and watchable.

Watched: 03/10/2022
Notable Song: Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms

Rating:

03/12/2022
‘Fool’s Gold’ (2008) Review

Newly divorced Tess is eager to distance herself from her treasure-seeking husband, Finn. However, her plans to move back to Chicago and finish her degree are railroaded when she discovers the boat she planned to sell for the money has sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

Without any other options, Tess agrees to join Finn on his hunt for the Aurelia, a ship lost at sea in 1715 that was said to be carrying treasure from a marriage dowry. They persuade Tess’s millionaire boss, Nigel Honeycutt, and his daughter to join the hunt, as they need funding. There is also the added complication of Finn owing quite a bit of money to a violent rapper, Bigg Bunny, who hires his own man, Finn’s former mentor, to find the treasure first.

Given the success of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in 2003, it made perfect sense for Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson to team up again for another romantic comedy. Despite not being as memorable as their first film together, Fool’s Gold opened at number one at the box office and grossed $111 million worldwide.

It’s been a while since I’ve watched How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but I distinctly remember enjoying it more than this film. Don’t get me wrong, Fool’s Gold is not a complete disaster. It’s hard to hate a movie starring McConaughey because he’s so damn charming.

Kate Hudson has never been a favorite of mine, but it’s hard to deny that she and McConaughey have chemistry, even though Hudson seems bored here. And it’s their chemistry that keeps Fool’s Gold from completely sinking under the weight of its silly script.

Kevin Hart plays Bigg Bunny in a more subdued way than what I am used to now. That’s not bad, but he wasn’t exactly the kind of antagonist that scared me for our leads. I will always love Donald Sutherland in any film, though I found myself quite annoyed with his perky but dumb daughter, played ultra-perky and ultra-dumb by Alexis Dziena.

My issue with the movie is that I had difficulty caring about any of the characters. They were poorly constructed, and not even the better actors in the film could have given them much life. Yes, there is some humor, but genuinely funny moments are few and far between in this movie.

I honestly don’t mind somewhat ridiculous premises in romantic comedies as long as they’re executed well and have some semblance of originality, but Fool’s Gold feels like a movie that’s been done before and done way better. My initial gut feeling was to award it 2.5 stars, but I docked it a half-star after sleeping on it for a few days. I love you, McConaughey. Your genuine himbo-ness, while you walk around wet and shirtless for most of the movie, is worthy of at least one star. Sutherland’s presence gets the other.

Watched: 08/13/2021
Notable Song: Truly Madly Deeply by The Dualers

Rating:

08/16/2021
‘Failure to Launch’ (2006) Review

Tripp is a 35-year-old man with a decent job and an active love life. But whenever he feels like the woman is becoming too serious about him, he brings her home, where she meets his parents, Sue and Al. Once she realizes Tripp still lives with them, he’s promptly dumped.

It’s a system that works for Tripp but not for Al and Sue, who are more than ready for Tripp to leave the nest and move on with his life so they can move on with theirs. They eventually learn of an expert named Paula, who believes that men stay with their parents due to low self-esteem, and whose job is to build their confidence so they can move out. Things become complicated when Paula and Tripp develop real feelings for each other.

The premise alone is pretty vile… a woman dating men under the pretense of being genuinely interested in them to trick them into moving out of their parents’ house. And it’s implied that Paula’s motivation for creating this brand of business was that some guy broke her heart… a guy who still lived at home with his parents.

It also solidifies the thought that guys who live at home are lazy, nerdy, and suffering from low self-esteem. That’s why Tripp is such a challenge for Paula. He’s good-looking, has a good job, and doesn’t seem to lack confidence. And because he seems like a “normal” guy, Paula falls in love with him. It’s ridiculous if you think about it.

But putting that aside, Failure to Launch’s biggest problem was the complete lack of chemistry between Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey. There was no heat, no passion, nothing. Nada. I was not invested in their relationship whatsoever. McConaughey was his usual charming self, but Parker was just… boring. Paula was boring. I have no idea whether it’s simply the way Paula was written or Sarah Jessica Parker’s acting. I wonder what this movie could have been if they had found a different actress for the role.

As with many romantic comedies, Failure to Launch’s supporting characters carry the movie’s comedic weight and provide the only real entertainment. Justin Bartha and Bradley Cooper play Tripp’s best friends, Ace and Demo (yes, those are their names), who also live in their parents’ house (for different reasons). I genuinely enjoyed Tripp’s scenes with them much more than his budding romance with Paula.

Zooey Deschanel is hilarious as Kit, Paula’s dry-witted roommate, who is at war with a songbird outside of her bedroom window. She more or less steals every scene she’s in with her performance, and her side-romance with Ace is the highlight of the entire film. Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw are Tripp’s long-suffering parents, and yes, even they were more fun to watch than Tripp and Paula.

Failure to Launch is a pretty by-the-book, formulaic romantic comedy that suffers from a lack of chemistry between the two leads, mindless physical gags, and an ending that feels way too easy. I’m giving this two stars for the supporting cast alone.

Watched: 07/15/2021
Notable Song: Crazy Little Thing Called Love by The 88

Rating:

07/18/2021
‘The Wedding Planner’ (2001) Review

Mary (Jennifer Lopez) is a successful New York wedding planner whose romantic life is pretty much DOA. That is, until a handsome pediatric doctor saves her from a runaway dumpster in the middle of the street. The two are instantly attracted to each other… at least until Mary realizes that the doctor, Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey), is the fiancé of her new client, Fran. Fran (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) is a wealthy client whose business will cement Mary’s promotion to partner. As the three begin planning the upcoming nuptials, Mary and Steve spend more time together and fall in love.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched The Wedding Planner, or what I initially thought of it. But I have to say, this time around, despite my questions and observations, I found it really cute and humorous.

Such as… an engaged Steve attending the movie in the park with Penny (yay Judy Greer!) and Mary when it was undeniable that Penny was working on setting the two of them up… and why Mary didn’t put her foot down about Massimo (Justin Chambers) much earlier in the movie, instead of pretending to be engaged to him. If a man tells important clients you’re engaged when you’re not, correct him; you don’t just look exasperated. Come on!

Anyway, I think Lopez and McConaughey had some delightful chemistry together. I was never a big fan of Lopez, at least not until I saw her fantastic performance in Hustlers, so maybe I’m just rewatching some of her earlier movies with a new appreciation. McConaughey has his good and bad moments, but I’ll admit he’s a pretty good actor.

His role as Steve doesn’t require much acting, but he makes Steve a likable guy, despite stepping out on his fiancée by falling for the wedding planner. The important thing is that I could understand why Mary was attracted to him, which doesn’t always happen in these movies. His speech to Mary outside of her apartment door was, to me, incredibly romantic and my favorite part of the movie.

The Wedding Planner’s supporting characters were pretty great as well. Wilson-Sampras was perfectly fine as Fran. I was glad they didn’t make her overbearing or high-maintenance to vilify her, which would have seemed like the obvious route to get the audience on board with Mary and Steve’s romance. Instead, they gave Fran and Steve an adult relationship, allowing them to communicate as they realized they might have outgrown one another. Joanna Gleason andCharles Kimbrough got a lot of laughs as Fran’s boozy parents as well. And, of course, every rom-com gets a boost whenever Judy Greer has a role, no matter how small.

Adam Shankman kept The Wedding Planner moving at a tolerable pace. I loved that most of the movie centered around Steve and Mary’s blossoming romance rather than delving into unnecessary side plots as some rom-coms tend to do. They didn’t push some “instant-love” between them, but instead created a mutual attraction that became something deeper and believable. I do think it was Lopez and McConaughey’s chemistry that made this re-watch so successful for me.

As a side note, I do think having Love Don’t Cost A Thing play over the credits was an odd choice. It did not fit with the movie whatsoever, but given that Lopez’s “J.Lo” album was released the same week as the film, I suppose the promotion was in the contract.

Watched: 08/14/2020
Notable Song: I Honestly Love You by Olivia Newton-John

Rating:

08/15/2020
‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ (2009) Review

When photographer and serial womanizer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) returns home for his brother’s wedding, things go awry due to his cynicism about love, his past with the maid of honor Jenny (Jennifer Garner), and a visit from his deceased uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas).

Wayne warns Connor that he will be visited by three spirits, all of whom will lead Connor through his past, present, and future. Throughout the night, Connor relives old heartbreaks, discovers what people really think of him, and glimpses a lonely future if he doesn’t change his ways.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a romantic-comedy take on Charles Dickens’s classic, A Christmas Carol, McConaughey’s Connor Mead takes the place of Ebenezer Scrooge. Instead of money and greed, Connor thinks love is a manufactured emotion and weak. He does not believe in commitment and has left behind dozens of broken hearts with little remorse.

His behavior can be traced back to his first heartbreak when his best friend and crush, Jenny, danced with another boy at a school function simply because Connor was too scared to make a move. Then, his Uncle Wayne teaches him how to compliment, insult, and manipulate women into sleeping with him. Yes, it’s pretty repulsive.

Connor is also very vocal against his brother (Breckin Meyer) getting married to Sandy (a very shrill Lacey Chabert), and you have to wonder why he showed up at the wedding instead of just sending a gift.

I’m a huge fan of A Christmas Carol, and will generally watch any adaptations of the classic. There isn’t much correlation between Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and A Christmas Carol, except for the three spirits. Emma Stone kills it as the Ghost of Girlfriends Past, playing Connor’s first sexual encounter as a teenager. She’s silly and hyper and has some adorable braces… so yeah, it’s a bit creepy when ghostly Uncle Wayne hits on her at the end of the movie.

Noureen DeWulf plays Melanie, both Connor’s assistant and the Ghost of Girlfriends Present, who is really just showing Connor how much people despise him and how much his brother and Jenny love him. The Ghost of Girlfriends Future (Olga Maliouk) then shows Connor a brief glimpse of his future, in which Jenny marries someone else, and no one but his brother shows up at his funeral. This seems to be enough for Connor to change his ways and realize he loves Jenny. But up until that moment, he doesn’t seem to care much about what he’s seen except for a few moments of visible regret.

The nice thing about A Christmas Carol is that Jacob Marley was doomed to wander the earth, carrying the heavy chains he forged in life, and he was genuinely remorseful about how he wasted his life. In Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Uncle Wayne seems to be the same jerk in the afterlife as he was alive. But casting-wise, Michael Douglas was pretty spot-on for an over-the-hill cad.

There are a handful of funny moments within Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and I love Jennifer Garner’s consistently earnest performances in these movies, but overall, the film is bland. The bridesmaids are all one-dimensional women just looking to get laid (preferably with Connor), the groomsmen are all nerds, and it felt very “by the book” in terms of hitting particular rom-com tropes.

Chabert is not a good actress, and I felt like Anne Archer and Robert Forster were wasted in their roles, although Forster has one of the funnier moments in the movie with his wedding toast. But Connor is not likable until the end of the film, and while you can say the same about Scrooge, we at least see moments of who Scrooge once was before money became his priority.

Ghost of Girlfriends Past just underwhelmed me, and it’s not the adaptation of A Christmas Carol that it could have been. Even McConaughey’s charm couldn’t save this one.

Watched: 12/23/2019
Notable Song: Keep On Loving You by REO Speedwagon

Rating:

12/23/2019