Fast Track

In this movie we see Tom Reilly getting sacked as a cook in Manhattan and starting over in Ohio at the ad agency, where his father-in-law is the assistant director.Tom and his wife Sofia have their first child.What causes trouble in Tom's new life is Chip, the man in a wheelchair.Chip happens to be Sofia's ex-boyfriend from high school.Tom doesn't trust that guy.The Ex (2006) is directed by Jesse Peretz.The movie was a pretty big failure, but I don't see it as such a huge turkey.Zach Braff gives a great performance in the lead as Tom Reilly.Amanda Peet is very good as Sofia.Jason Bateman's character Chip Sanders is not the most likable, but his performance is good.I really enjoyed watching the work of Charles Grodin, who plays Bob Kowalski.In his character you can find a pretty big deal of tragicomedy.Before this movie Charles hadn't done one single movie in 12 years, and after this he hasn't done any.Mia Farrow is terrific as his wife Amelia.Amy Poehler plays Carol Lane.Paul Rudd is Leon.Fred Armisen plays Manny.Donald Logue is Don Wollebin.Amy Adams portrays Abby March.Marin Hinkle plays the part of Karen.As a movie this doesn't shine in anyways.It may have some potential, but that's all.Some of the characters in this movie are a bit annoying, like that kid.And of course Chip.But it is a bit funny sometimes.Like when Tom tries to prove that Chip can walk.So this is a movie you can check out when you got the time, and you may even like it.

Just like most people who've written reviews for this film, I too was excited to hear about a film staring two great comedians like Braff and Bateman. How could you go wrong with these two? However, with two inexperienced writers and one inexperienced director; it's not hard to see where this film goes wrong.

The script is at times, very poor and extremely lacking in intelligent or deep humor, the characters are one dimensional and there are a lot of pointless and derivative scenes. There is no real chemistry between Braff and Peet and the soundtrack is somewhat lacking.

It's really awful to see such amazing talents go to waste in such a simple and shallow comedy such as this.

There are however, some great ideas in this film; the only shame is that they are not explored in their comedic entirety. Braff and Bateman are as usual, wonderful and do the best they can with the characters and the script they were given.

A fairly amusing show where Braff's character deals with a co-worker in a new job that had had a thing with his wife in high school. This comedy doesn't bring anything new to the genre, but is a fair watch overall with some interesting elements.

The Good: Appropriate length, Fair acting, Great gag reel (after some credits start rolling), amusing overall, villain is mean, but doesn't cross the line- after all comedies are not about sadistic, truly evil villains. They are usually funny, selfishly misguided people, and Bateman fits the bill perfectly.

The Bad: Too much slapstick humor, had more potential, some scenes were unfocused and with no real purpose.

I had high hopes for this film and made my friend watch it. His comment at the end was that he was glad he didn't spend any money on it. I must agree. While I enjoy all the actors involved, the film just doesn't have enough going for it to put it over the top. Too much talent was shown and then not used. This left me wanting.

With regards to the plot element: We care about Tom and Sofia, but Tom acts like an idiot and Sofia appears to brush him off too easily. Of course, this is to play into the plot, but it was too hard to believe after the beginning was set up so solidly. The result is a plot that cannot maintain it's credibility through to the end. It's a light film, so this isn't the greatest of crimes.

All in all, it is enjoyable, but it's middle of the road fare and certainly not worth the 8.1 rating that it is currently riding at. Rather somewhere between a five and a six depending on your perspectives and your mood. If you are rating this film higher, go watch Zach in Garden State and rethink your rating. That film is truly worth it's current 8 rating.

Enough said, 5 of 10.

Writers David Guion and Michael Handelman and director Jesse Peretz must have called in a lot of favors when they made "The Ex," for how else to account for the presence of Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin, Mia Farrow, Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Paul Rudd and Amy Adams in as slight an indie comedy as the one they have manufactured here? And "manufactured" is definitely the operative term in this case, for "The Ex" feels contrived and phony from the get-go.

After he gets fired from his job as a chef in an upscale Manhattan restaurant, Tom Reilly (Braff) moves with his wife and infant son back to her hometown in Ohio where he gets a job at the same ad agency where his father-in-law (Grodin) works. One of the employees, Chip (Bateman), an old flame of Tom's wife, Sofia (Peet), tries to sabotage Tom at every turn, undercutting him at work and trying to rekindle the romance between Sofia and himself.

"The Ex" fails on a variety of levels, but the primary one is that, while it is supposed to be a satire of small town, middle American values, most of the characters - with their New-Age quirkiness and bohemian eccentricities - seem as if they'd be more at home living in some converted loft in Soho than on a tree-lined street in suburban Ohio. The setting of "The Ex" doesn't feel like Anyplace, USA; in fact, it doesn't feel like anyplace, period, except maybe the fantasy world of two overpaid Hollywood screenwriters. Add to this an assortment of unappealing and unappetizing characters, a tendency towards sitcom-level humor and plotting, and an over-reliance on heavy-handed slapstick and sight gags, and you have one of the major comedy disappointments of 2007. Braff is definitely a talented actor, but "The Ex" is a career path misfire that should be mercifully forgotten