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dir. Robert B. Weide
Rating: 5.5 | 0 User Reviews | Send to Friend
Not biting enough to be a satire and not heartfelt enough to be a farce, this film falls somewhere in the cavernous middle. Simon Pegg shines and flops his way through an obvious plot; falling into lamps, injuring dogs (anybody rememeber There's Something about Mary?), making a drunk scene at parties ... it goes on and on. Though, there are rare moments when Pegg's bona fide comedic talent bursts through the confines of a less-than-stellar script. It is the classic journalist with balls of gold story. Pegg's character, Sydney Young, works for a small alternative magazine in London that holds office in his flat's living room. One day, he receives a call from Sharps magazine in New York City, a high-powered celeberity rag-mag that wishes to hire Sydney to man the "I-Spy" section as the celebrity watch-dog. Of course, Sidney does not fit in. He annoys his coworker Alison (played by the always-flat, never-interesting Kirsten Dunst), develops a strong nemesis in editor Lawrence (Danny Huston) and only causes headaches and trouble for Editor-in-Chief Clayon Harding (a sadly ill-cast Jeff Bridges). Now, Sydney must hang his proverbial morals on the shelf and kiss the ass of every celebrity, publicist and door guy in town. Begrudingly, he concedes to his new doormat lifestyle, yet, the prospect of spending more time with young actress Sophie Maes (Megan Fox) is an offer he can not turn down, as he has big plans to sleep with her. Friends goes on to introduce us to more impossibly flat characters. Namely, Elenor (Gillian Anderson), the supposedly ruthless, but more hopped-up-on-pills publicist, and Vincent Lepak (Max Minghela), the head-up-his-ass young director who was obviously the son of someone important on the set or there's no way he'd end up on the screen. It is the minor characters that really shine in this film. Mrs. Kowalski (Miriam Margolyes), Sydney's deadpanly concerned landlady, is a charming addition to Sydney's everyday flat life. And, Richard Young (Bill Paterson), Sydney's famous author father, is so eloquent and authentic, he adds depth to Sydney's character just by being in the room. Perhaps, the film should have taken a cue from its own plot and focused more on the talented lesser-knowns, rather than cramming in lackluster celebrities to share in their glaring spotlight.
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