`A Guy Thing': Something to do
By EMILY HOWALD
Assistant Scene Editor
Looking for yet another mindless romantic comedy to occupy your time? Well, then "A Guy Thing" is for you.
It's the typical "should he get married or should he not" story. The story begins with Paul Morse (Jason Lee, "Mallrats") at his bachelor party. He wakes up the next morning with a strange woman in his bed and is unsure of what happened. She leaves and he writes it off as a mistake before marriage.
The problem arises when his fiancé, Karen, (Selma Blair, "Cruel Intentions"), introduces him to her cousin, Becky (Julia Stiles, "Save the Last Dance"), who shockingly enough, is the very same woman who woke up in his bed days earlier.
The rest of the movie focuses on the attraction between Stiles and Lee, as well as his struggle to determine if this marriage is fit for him. He also has to run circles around hiding the truth from his fiancé, as well as avoiding Stiles' neurotic ex-boyfriend. Lee continues to get himself in and out of trouble while battling with his own complacency.
The chemistry between Stiles and Lee is not only a humorous one, but their sarcastic and cynical personalities match well on screen. Stiles does a good job of playing the risk-taking, lofty girl who moves from one job to another. Blair plays the ideal controlling fiancé, and it matches her put-together and unfaltering demeanor.
Lee is torn between whether he should let go of the safe life and live a bit more like Stiles or continue on with the routine.
Although it is a familiar plot, director Chris Koch ("Snow Day," TV's "Malcolm in the Middle"), does a good job of trying to incorporate new ideas and a lot of humor. It is the typical mindless comedy that doesn't leave too much to the imagination for surprise, nor does it make you think — at all.
The plot is a familiar one, and there is nothing about the film that makes it stick out as Oscar-worthy, but it brings a smile and beats doing nothing. It's good for both guys and girls as well because it seems as though both sexes can relate to the fear of the commitment and appreciate the humor of it all.
Simply, it's been done before, and probably will continue to be done, but at least "A Guy Thing" adds humor and some originality. Bottom line: If you're really bored, knock yourself out; otherwise just wait for the rental.
All Scene Stories for Thursday, January 23, 2003
