Failure to Launch
Screenplay written by: Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Bates,
Terry Bradshaw, Zooey Deschanel
Directed by: Tom Dey
Rated: PG-13 (Sexual content, partial nudity and language)
Failure to Launch
Screenplay written by: Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Bates, Terry Bradshaw, Zooey Deschanel
Directed by: Tom Dey
Rated: PG-13 (Sexual content, partial nudity and language)
Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) is a good-looking 35 year-old ladies’ man playing the field as an eligible bachelor who is still comfortably living with his very accommodating parents (Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw) in the same room and house he grew up in. It is a convenient living arrangement that his close friends are sure the commitment-phobic bachelor uses to his advantage whenever things begin to get too serious. Bringing a girl with plans for him to “his place,” and to his doting parents, had become his ploy to provide the girls good reasons to end it. However, the spoiled bachelor’s all-too-convenient freeloading days are about to end when his parents conclude that they need a little assistance in getting their son to decide to move out on his own.
Hearing of a successful intervention specialist (Sarah Jessica Parker) who remedied their friend’s similar offspring problem, they secretly hire the professional to motivate Tripp to move out so they can enjoy the benefits of an empty nest also. However, no one expects that the seduction and manipulation in the well-meaning intervention will take the turns it does.
He Said:
Now this was an amusing “date movie.” Even though the story’s premise is tried and true, if not a little tired, the simple plot and entertainment value were definitely bolstered by Sarah Jessica Parker’s always-great comedic timing and droll little smile. Matthew McConaughey played off Parker well enough to create a renewed appreciation for his comedic contributions, too. While the unlikely casting of Kathy Bates opposite Terry Bradshaw as husband and wife seemed too quirky at first, it quickly became one of the things that made for continuously good humor – even if Bradshaw hadn’t offered more information about his backside than most people wanted to know. Even though there is nothing special about “Failure to Launch,” I liked this little film for the light romantic comedy it was.
On the R&R Scale (1-10):
7 for script: Entertaining; an old problem brought up to date.
6 for direction: Captured nuances that made for better humor.
7 for acting: A good job done by all, even Bradshaw.
6 for plot: You saw it coming, but liked it.
7 for entertainment value for a Romantic Comedy.
6.6 Overall
She Said:
Sarah Jessica Parker’s mischievous twinkle was just as engaging as Matthew’s was, and that is really saying something for this McConaughey appreciator. I really liked the pairing of these two easy-to-look-at actors for this romantic comedy. It was not good “chemistry” in the conventional sense, but they played off each other well. Speaking of pairing, Bates and Bradshaw were the most unlikely pair that I’ve seen in recent years, but what a great team they made! In my mind, they were as responsible for the dryly-humorous film’s entertainment value as Parker and McConnaughey. Another great pairing was Zooey Deschanel and Parker as roommates. Being nothing more than a charming film still gets a “thumbs-up” from me despite its too-easy-to-pan title to the contrary.
On the R&R Scale (1-10):
7 for script: Some good lines offset the so-so ones.
7 for direction: Captured the spirit of situations and characters well.
7 for acting: All did well- charming and funny.
7 for plot: Updated intervention twist to an old problem.
7 for entertainment value.
7.0 overall
