Quero Ficar com Polly

I thought this was about a silly romance, so I didn't see it when it first came out. I rented the DVD and I liked it so much I watched it again with my daughter two nights later. I should have known Ben Stiller wouldn't do a totally "straight" movie, but the comedy wasn't so over the top either. It was a perfect blend of comedy and sincerity. One of the stand-out performances came from Hank Azaria. His portrayal of the French scuba instructor, Claude, was a scene-stealer. One of the funniest characters I've seen in a long time. I recommend this as a perfect date movie, or if you're just sitting at home and want to LOL! Be sure to check out the gag reel.

ALONG CAME POLLY (2004) *** Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Bryan Brown, Hank Azaria, Michele Lee, Bob Dishy, Alec Baldwin, Missi Pyle. Stiller gives another of his patented hapless schmuck romantics turns as newlywed risk management assessor whose marriage is on the rocks when his wife (Messing) has an affair on their honeymoon, sending him back to NYC to assess his life and runs into former junior high friend Aniston who knocks him for a loop despite her flaky demeanor. Frequently funny and evenly paced by writer and first-time director John Hamburg the laughs come often and no thanks to Hoffman as Stiller's sloven has-been actor buddy and Baldwin as his vulgar boss. Despite the toilet humor (surprisingly in somewhat good taste if you can call it that) the film does have a heart and Stiller and Aniston make for a cute couple.

I saw this for free, thankfully, and wish it was better than it was, but it's really the same old stuff that movie studios seem to foist on us in the last ten years.

Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston play a couple who are opposites- and yet they are attracted to each other. Yes, it's an age old trope, and if that plot 'twist' doesn't take you by surprise and thrill you, the movie won't either.

Lots of sight gags and fart jokes. Halfway through the movie I began to realize that Ben Stiller really isn't that funny, but he tries VERY hard. And Jennifer Anniston really isn't that pretty, but her HAIR looks great. And Hank Azaria and Phillip Seymore Hoffman must have got paid a great deal of money to be in this kind of average ho-hum movie, I've come to expect more from them.

What was interesting was that I saw this after I saw American Splendor, which is a truly funny and original movie- and I compared the two in my head, and found myself wishing that the movie executives would be forced to sit through those two movies back to back- perhaps that would knock some sense into them and they'd start making better movies with unknowns rather than this formulaic stuff that plays best on airplanes.

Ben Stiller is known for wacky characters such as White Goodman from Dodgeball, Tony Perkis in Heavy Weights, and the male model known as Derek Zoolander in Zoolander. But his other roles have been the quiet yet hysterical characters like Gaylord 'Greg' Focker in Meet the Parents and Meet the Focker's. This type of character is perfect for Stiller.

In Along Came Polly, Stiller stars as Reuben Feffer, the neurotic, slightly OCD risk-insurance salesman who looks at the outcome of a situation before getting involved. He decides whether or not a person is too much of a liability. Recently married to Lisa Kramer (Debra Messing), who on their honeymoon, decides to "get it on" with the scuba instructor (Hank Azaria). Fleeing back to the states, he meets up with his long time friend Sandy Lyle (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). He was a star actor but now is a has been who tries to go back to the top. For starters, he will be headlining the community theater production of Jesus Christ Superstar...as Judas.

Now that Reuben is back, he is "free", but isn't ready for a relationship. Since he is still actually married, he decides to just lay low, until he meets an old friend from junior high. Enter Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston), the free spirited, total opposite of Reuben who will flip his world upside down. Even though they seem to be on the opposite sides of the love spectrum, Reuben is crazy for her...hesitant...but still into it.

What makes this movie work is the combination of wacky humor and romance. Hoffman is hysterical as Lyle who thinks he is the cats meow. With his life being filmed for a feature on his life, Lyle is confident and even tries to be Reuben's mentor. Although they don't see eye to eye with certain issues, the two have a sort of brotherly bond that lasts thru thick and thin. Aniston is great as Polly and with the addition of Stiller, the two become a great duo, feeding off of each other's energy.

This movie is a great date flick and is even a good film to just pop in once and a while. Ben Stiller is on a roll with making movies these days and this is no exception. Along Came Polly is fantastic and worth watching. Another triumph for Stiller...and as Sandy Lyle once said, "Let it rain!"

Ben and Jen do their best to overcome an unengaging story and a lack of forward momentum in Along Came Polly. There are some decent laughs throughout, but nothing that stuck with me after the credits. It's not awful by any means, but it's pretty forgettable.