20 Dates

OK, instead of reviewing the film, I'd rather review three of the ladies dated in this film. (1.) The pretty blonde who 'graded up' from the 1.5 to the 3-pound lobster might want to learn the concept of the 'Dutch treat' (2.) I might have stopped production my own film if it was going to jeopardize present and future dates with the lass who contacted federal authorities and got a 'restraining order' once it was revealed that the date was being filmed. I think the two of them were actually 'clicking', something that wasn't occuring often. Therefore Myles should have opted for a great end to the date with this classy gal over what actually did occur. (3.) I have to admit I got myself smitten over Elisabeth over the course of the movie. I'd have had to call it '17 Dates' and keep my relationship strong, sorry Myles. I also can't believe that his 'pushing it' tendencies have kept her in his clutches to 2003 and beyond, so, Lizzie, if you're reading this... Maybe you'd like a (free) charcoal portrait of yourself ? I draw professionally in Nebraska. -David.

20 Dates is enjoyable for what it is: a semi-documentary. It seems as if Berkowitz started out with a good idea but it was corrupted a bit along the way. The big tip-off that this isn't REAL life is that 2 women who have appeared in Playboy make brief appearances. If you really want to see it, catch a matinee or wait for the video.

The idea of this documentary is not so bad: A young single man meets 20 girls to find out if one of them could be the real love. The realisation is not so good. The director is not a very talented one, the whole movie has more of an amateur home video. There are only two reasons to watch it: At the end of the movie actress Julie McCullough from "Growing Pains" appears as one of the dates and she bewitches with her natural charme and Tia Carrere from "Relic Hunter" is the last date. I have seen better amateur videos.

If you are going to make a mockumentary (and sorry, folks, but that is exactly what this movie is), then make it obvious. Spinal Tap. Don't fake something and then shoot it as if it is real. It goes against the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction". If you are going to write fiction, then don't try to make it 100% believable. What is the point?

Again, it has been shown that this is not a true documentary. There are things that would be easily verifiable had all this really occurred. Things (marriage licenses, hospital records, restraining orders, etc) would be public record. None of these records exist.

Myles Berkowitz is newly divorced after his 10-month marriage ended badly. He also is keen to make his debut film that will launch his movie career. He decides to combine the two biggest failures of his life - his film `career' and his love life to make a film about the real search for love in LA. He sets out to film 20 dates to capture the moment where two people fall in love. However he is in for a rocky road - not only does he have trouble with his dates but the guy funding his film wants it to be something other than what Myles envisages it to be.

This film was made on the cheap and is a mix of documentary and mockumentary; there is no way that all the stuff in this film is real - certainly I never accepted that Elie the producer was the character that the film painted him to be. However, the majority of it seems to be relatively real and the majority of it is funny - which is the important thing here. Forget Myles arty pretensions about filming true love as it happens, the point here is wit and fun. The film is a very particular type of wit and if you're not into it then it is likely that you will hate the film; for me I really enjoyed the light humour of the whole piece and found it amusing even if I wouldn't call it hilarious.

I really liked the invention of some parts of it: the comparisons of the budget in military terms (his film would be the equivalent of one French soldier surrendering to whoever it happens to be at war with), the stuff around Elie, the `meetings' with his agent etc. In fact most of the funny stuff is staged - and it is for the best. If I was being cynical I would question whether or not 95% of the film was scripted and acted as natural. But it didn't bother me because I found it funny.

Myles himself is a strange guy; he is quite abrasive and pretty unpleasant at times and is a bit of a jerk. He definitely doesn't deserve Elisabeth but it is easy to be amused by his cruel humour at times. He holds the attention pretty well when he is on dates, but as an actor I didn't think much of him: at one point we learn he refused an offer for a script on the basis that he would only sell it if he could star - he really needs to focus on writing as neither directing or acting appears to be his thing on the basis of this. The support crew are hilarious. Myles sound guy and cameraman are funny when they have the chance, while both Richard the agent and Elie are hilarious and don't mind sending themselves up!

Overall, treat this film as a comedy rather than a documentary - large chunks of it are staged, but it actually helps the film. It is very rough but it is different and quite enjoyable; it is funny in witty ways and it is funny in inventive ways and both styles work really well. It is not a perfect film (Myles' comes across like a daytime tv presenter at times) but it is fun; and that's all I was really looking for.