Mr. Fix It

This movie surprised me, in a good way. I wasn't expecting much more than some light hearted humor, especially since the box cover and description are fairly innocuous. Instead, I got a heck of a fun ride. Boreanaz, although I'm not really a huge fan of his stuff, really shines. The movie puts him in many hilarious situations, making strong execution of the funny "bad boyfriend" concept that is the basis for the movie. The performances are impressive, especially La Garza who plays her role with a touch of innocence that makes you really root for her. The biggest surprise was the movies depth and the way it addresses aging, loneliness and regret. It made the film more than just a typical "date movie" and helped keep my interest. All in all a fun flick and recommended for those who like the romantic comedy genre.

Boreanaz plays Lance Valenteen, a ladies man who gets hired by guys that have been dumped by their girlfriends. Lance, as "Mr. Fix It," seduces the guys ex-girlfriend and becomes such a bad boyfriend that the girl runs back into her ex-boyfriend's arms. I've always thought Boreanaz was too brooding and tortured on Angel, and in Bones he slurs his words and lulls me to sleep. But somehow in this movie he's transformed into a high energy, funny, vulnerable romantic lead. Maybe it's the blonde (or gold?) hair dye that changed him but whatever it is it works, and it works well.

The movie starts off, after some pretty funny scenes of "Mr. Fix It" at work, with Lance getting hired by Bill Smith (Pat Healy) to help him get back his ex-girlfriend, an Italian-accented hottie named Sophia Fiori (Alana De La Garza). Sophia dumped Bill because he was a chronic liar so Lance concocts a plan to seduce Sophia, get her to fall in love with him, and then reveal that all the reasons she fell in love with him were lies. With her heart broken, Bill's lies will pale in comparison.

The execution of the plan is pretty much the movie: They date, they start to fall for each other, blah, blah, blah…it's a romantic comedy so you pretty much know the story and how it ends. But that's the thing with this movie - you don't know! It takes the accepted conventions of romantic comedies and not only satirizes them, but uses them to lull the audience into a false sense of comfort so that each new shock is so unexpected that it's embraced by the viewer. The charm of the movie, and there's a lot of it, comes from its ability to work within the confines of the genre while carefully breaking some of it's rules, making for an entertaining, unpredictable story.

I've never seen the female lead before, Alana De La Garza, but she made the film. This movie is almost a romantic comedy for guys, which makes you root for Lance. But Garza plays the role of Sophia note perfect, with a dashing combination of innocence and beauty, that you start cringing knowing what lies ahead and hope somehow, someway, she won't get hurt. Halfway through the movie I wasn't sure who I was rooting for since you genuinely like both characters. "Mr. Fix It" has a message but unlike most films you believe the message because you've learned it as the characters have: through situations and conflict. It's not underdeveloped and forced as in other romantic comedies.

I was eager to see "Mr. Fix It" because I'm a huge David Boreanaz fan. What I got, though, was a 1-1/2 hour nap. The premise seemed enjoyable: Boreanaz is Lance Valenteen, proprietor of a business called "Mr. Fix It", where dumped men enlist his help to get their girlfriends to take them back.

Among the problems with this movie are the editing, script, and acting. Although I've found Boreanaz delightful in his other film roles (with the exception of that "Crow" movie he did), this was disappointing. At times, his character was interesting and others, flat. The supporting cast reminded me of soap opera day players. I realize it wasn't a big-budget film, but some of the scene cuts and music just didn't seem right.

My advice: watch at your own risk.

I love David Boreanaz, so of course I simply bought Mr. Fix It. The first time I watched it, I realized there may have been a reason it went straight to DVD. I watched it the next day, and I actually like it. It's pretty cute, and has some great one-liners. While it's predictable, and kind of like a backwards Hitch, it's a simply cute romantic comedy with some twists and turns. David Boreanaz is great in a role very different from Angel and Special Agent Seeley Booth, and really gets the opportunity to show off some comedic acting. I recommend this if you're looking for something cute and fun to spend a night.

I have seen this movie 2 times and loved it. I bought the DVD and my husband has watched it 6 times already. David and Alana are wonderful in their portrayal of their characters.

Love is and always will be in man's search for happiness. Sometimes, we forget what the true meaning of love is and need to be reminded. This movie does just that. It warms the heart and cheers the emotions of the heart. You laugh and you cry as you feel David's search for love.

Mr. Fix It touches the hearts of new and old lovers as well as love found and love lost. It inspires those who question the meaning of life and rewards those who have achieved the balance of life and love.

Great movie! A real MUST SEE. It should be in the theaters.