“Failure To Launch” (Paramount Pictures)
Houston, We Have A Problem
Matthew McConaughey was labeled by People Magazine as “the Sexiest Man Alive.” America fell in love with Sarah Jessica Parker when she taught us all about “sex in the city” as Carrie Bradshaw. So combine those two stars and you automatically have movie magic, right Not so fast! You also need the right script to complete the match and “Failure To Launch,” their co-starring film, does not have the right script.
Everything about this movie is ordinary – except for supporting actress Zooey Deschanel. The storyline about a man who doesn’t want to leave his parents’ home and the woman who is hired to get him out of the house, is so mundane that it wouldn’t qualify as a “Friends” episode. If Tripp’s (McConaughey) parents want him out of the house, why don’t they just say so rather than going to the elaborate ruse of hiring motivator Paula (Parker) It is her job to make him fall for her and thereby leave the nest.
All of this conniving and playing roles gets boring after a while but of course McConaughey is college boy cute and Parker is prim and pretty. That keeps things going as much as possible. Also there are supporting roles played by Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha as Tripp’s best friends, and Zooey Deschanel as Paula’s roommate. Terry Bradshaw and Kathy Bates play Tripp’s parents.
Deschanel steals every scene she is in. An entire movie could have been written around her character with much more success. She is so bright and innovative that everyone else pales in comparison to her. She shows a unique personality in her role which is something McConaughey and Parker don’t do.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and brief nudity. The nudity belongs to Terry Bradshaw. He has a scene in which he is viewed naked from the rear for an interminably long time.
For many people the looks and charms of McConaughey and Parker will be enough. They won’t care that they might have seen this story or a variation of it a million times in the past. Just watching the sexiest man alive and Carrie Bradshaw go through their paces is entertainment in and of itself.
The rest of us are going to want more and we aren’t going to get it. We will be mildly entertained with mildly being the key word. “Failure To Launch” is not a failure but they have the title right. It doesn’t launch us into the heights of romantic comedy entertainment. It stays on the pad.
I scored “Failure To Launch” a mission controlled 5 out of 10.
