First take a cup of recycled plot line. Then add a dash of talented actors slumming in roles that are not to par. Mix in a corny modern rock soundtrack and a pinch of cheese and mix until it bursts at the seams with the sentiment of "been there, done that ? better." Such is the recipe for "A Guy Thing," another addition to the traditional January debacle Hollywood feeds its consumers as a means of clearing itself of its biggest misfires.
As a date movie, "A Guy Thing" manages to succeed, if only as an excuse to dismiss what is on the screen in favor of paying extra attention to your theater guest. Too bad it's an attribute not worthy of even the film's matinee price.
It's a pretty basic setup. Successful ad agent Paul (Jason Lee doing a bit of charity work) attends his bachelor party and hooks up with a Tiki dancer named Becky (Julia Stiles in a way over-the-top performance.) He boots her out of bed and allows his conscience to eat away at his soul during the weeks preceding the wedding. Turns out that the dancer is none other than his fiancée's (Selma Blair) cousin Becky. Well, of course, Paul develops feelings for the charismatic Becky. Adventure and presumed hilarity ensure.
I emphasize the word presumed.
At this point the screen is bombarded with a series of rip-off gags and toilet humor as predictable as anything put to screen in recent memory.
The true marvel of the whole film is the presence of Lee. The talented comedic actor who got his chops in excellent roles in Kevin Smith films as well as a stellar performance in "Almost Famous," is finally taking on the leading man status he deserves. Unfortunately, his character in "A Guy Thing" is a hapless moron. Paul is the epitome of a bad liar, and although this works as a good gag in the first 15 minutes of the film, it cannot hold ground as a running joke. It's sad to see Lee, usually a master of sarcastic delivery, attempt to deliver the horrible dialogue of which nightmares are made.
The rest of the cast is utterly unwatchable. Blair is unbelievably bad as Paul's uptight fiancée. Her character is so shallow and underdeveloped that it is impossible to sympathize with her.
Stiles shows some charm, but her character is so ridiculous that even the mention of the name Becky makes you long for a better and more capable female lead. She's delightful to the eyes, but parasitic to the brain. Somehow the writers have confused a quasi-philosophical ditz with Aphrodite, and the result just stings the senses.
Although there are some redeeming moments, particularly involving a stoner chef's invention of ganja gravy and Paul's homoerotic dreams of his middle-aged dance instructor, there is nothing all too redeeming about "A Guy Thing."
Lee is not to blame. At least he tries. Even Robert De Niro would have faltered in a similar situation. Not even the best actor could hide what "A Guy Thing" really is - a worthless piece of escapism that offers nothing but familiarity, bad writing and the feeling that money could be better spent. That's two strikes for Lee as a leading man. Pray the obviously talented and potential leading man doesn't hit number three next time. It'll be a shame to see him drift into the netherworld of direct-to-video.
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Suggested Viewing: I cannot suggest viewing this without compromising my ethics.
