“The Ex” (The Weinstein Company)
Scrubs Up Enough Laughs To Entertain
Zach Braff has had a great run on television with his comedy series “Scrubs.” People who get Braff think the show is one of the best comedies ever. But there is also a large segment of the population who just don’t feel let in on the joke. The same will be true of Braff’s new romantic comedy “The Ex.” Some will find it extremely funny and entertaining while others will just be left cold. I am one of those who laughed out loud.
Tom and Sofia (Braff and Amanda Peet) are a young married couple awaiting the birth of their first child. Once the baby is born Sofia plans to be a stay at home mom. These plans are thrown for a loop when Tom loses his job as a chef in New York. Now the couple has to pack up and move back to Sofia’s hometown where Tom takes a job at his father in law’s advertising firm.
Bob (Charles Grodin) wants his son in law to succeed so he assigns him to work with Chip (Jason Bateman), the whiz kid of the office. Chip is also a paraplegic and the “ex boyfriend” of Sofia. Tom takes an instant dislike to Chip and the feeling is mutual. Chip sabotages Tom at every point.
No one can see how mean and manipulative Chip is, not even Sofia. It is going to take some desperate measures on Tom’s part to expose “the ex” for the snake he truly is. Watching this is where the fun comes into the movie.
Braff is a solidly funny leading man. He has a natural likeability to him and he capitalizes on that charm in this film. Watching him is like watching a young James Stewart. Opposite him Amanda Peet is a natural beauty with her own likeable personality. She is the perfect companion for Braff in this film.
Bateman is the star of the show. He makes Chip so conniving and so despicable that you long for him to get his comeuppance. It is a tribute to Bateman’s acting talent that he can completely create the “nice” Chip and the “evil” one. Plus he is hilarious as both.
It is nice to see Grodin back on the screen. He still can perfectly play the slightly befuddled man. Mia Farrow is okay as his wife but looks like she has had some bad Botox or plastic surgery. Donal Logue has a cameo as a client of the advertising firm.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and some crude humor.
“The Ex” is a film that will not appeal to everyone. But if you like Braff and you like the type of humor on display then you will have a full entertaining time at this movie.
I scored “The Ex” an exciting 6 out of 10.
