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‘Hitch’ pleases audiences, critics
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Also by Joe Anderson:
- 'Hitch' pleases audiences, critics (February 18, 2005)
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by Joe Anderson
Friday, February 18, 2005
Apparently when Will Smith isn’t busy slinging hip one-liners at evil robots and extraterrestrials, teaming up with his ol’ buddy Martin Lawrence to battle stereotyped drug dealers or dropping “fresh” rhymes on a radio-friendly rap album, he moonlights as an anonymous professional dating consultant.
With the new flick “Hitch,” Will Smith (“I, Robot”) completes his empire of movie genres with the annexation of the romantic comedy. In his first such role, Smith plays Alex “Hitch” Hitchens, a so-called “Date Doctor,” who “hitches” (get it?!) desperate men up with the women of their dreams. Upon turning Joe Schmo into Joe Cool, Hitch cuts the umbilical cord of smooth-a-tude and births a newly-armed man, i.e. charming and sophisticated, into the arms of waiting women.
He’s a sort of altruistic Alfie, in that his intentions do not actually include the ever-popular wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am technique known and loved by men the world over. With a release timed to coincide perfectly with Valentine’s Day and a concept ripped directly from such sophisticated source material as MTV, a bona fide hit seems inevitable, right? Right! Though it doesn’t stray from the formulaic genre of the romantic comedy, the film manages to hit all the right notes.
A plot summary is unnecessary for anyone who has a passing familiarity with the romantic comedy. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy somehow manages to defy all odds to get girl back. The only hitch is that this time the date doctor may need a little of his own medicine to overcome the jaded cynicism of his target, gossip columnist Sara (Eva Mendes, “2 Fast 2 Furious”).
“Hitch” exploits all the time-honored clichés of the genre: trite adages like “be yourself” and “you had it in you all along,” awkward dating experiences and the obligatory hairy back-waxing scene. But the movie does so with the utmost style and wit thanks to the natural charisma and screen presence of The Fresh Prince.
Will Smith has secured his niche as one of the few true movie stars in Hollywood with an intrinsic mass appeal and a guaranteed box office draw, and as expected he carries the film almost single-handedly. Though Kevin James (“King of Queens”) and Mendes each have their moments to shine, it is Smith’s name and visage that give it that irresistible charm.
Inexperienced director Andy Tennant and first-time screenwriter Kevin Bisch wisely leave plenty of room for Smith to be himself, and their hands-off approach helps the film greatly.
The comedy in the film comes predominantly from the near-perfect chemistry between Smith and James, with Smith as the straight man playing off of James’ romantic ineptitude.
This chemistry is highlighted in several humorous scenes such as the first meeting between James’ character and his love interest, Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta, “Raising Helen”), and an early scene featuring James showing Smith his stellar dance moves.
Though the film mixes in a handful of pop culture references, it does so with a welcome subtlety (unlike Smith’s “Shark Tale,” which overwhelms the audience with nonstop, heavy-handed references).
While the current lineup of cinematic alternatives available to moviegoers consists of dumb comedies, bland horror films and shirt-drenching cry fests, “Hitch” trades tears for cheers. It offers a high entertainment value that doesn’t resort to lowbrow humor, but also doesn’t pretend to be smarter or funnier than it is.
Though “Hitch” doesn’t take any risks or stray from formula, and despite the fact that anyone who has ever seen a romantic comedy already knows how it ends, it’s a great date movie and will surely be a guilty pleasure for those ashamed to admit they liked it.
So bring a partner, a flask of your favorite beverage and an open mind, and you might just enjoy this cute little caper of a romantic comedy. As a bonus, would-be Casanovas who pay careful attention might even be able to pick up a few new techniques as well.
— Rachel Kohtala contributed to this article
Grade: B
