Egypt's CBE expects inflation to moderate in '24, significantly fall in H1-25    Egypt to host 3rd Africa Health ExCon from 3-6 June    Poverty reaches 44% in Lebanon – World Bank    Eurozone growth hits year high amid recovery    US set to pour fresh investments in Kenya    Taiwanese Apple,Nvidia supplier forecasts 10% revenue growth    EFG Holding revenue surges 92% to EGP 8.6bn in Q1 2024, unveils share buyback program    Egyptian military prepared for all threats, upholds national security: Defence Minister    Philip Morris International acquires 14.7% stake in Egypt's largest cigarette maker Eastern Company    Gold prices slide 0.3% on Thursday    US Biogen agrees to acquire HI-Bio for $1.8b    Body of Iranian President Raisi returns to Tehran amidst national mourning    Egypt secures $38.8bn in development financing over four years    Palestinian resistance movements fight back against Israeli occupation in Gaza    President Al-Sisi reaffirms Egypt's dedication to peace in Gaza    Egypt to build 58 hospitals by '25    Egypt's Health Minister monitors progress of national dialysis system automation project    Giza Pyramids host Egypt's leg of global 'One Run' half-marathon    Madinaty to host "Fly Over Madinaty" skydiving event    Nouran Gohar, Diego Elias win at CIB World Squash Championship    Coppola's 'Megalopolis': A 40-Year Dream Unveiled at Cannes    World Bank assesses Cairo's major waste management project    K-Movement Culture Week: Decade of Korean cultural exchange in Egypt celebrated with dance, music, and art    Empower Her Art Forum 2024: Bridging creative minds at National Museum of Egyptian Civilization    Egyptian consortium nears completion of Tanzania's Julius Nyerere hydropower project    Sweilam highlights Egypt's water needs, cooperation efforts during Baghdad Conference    Swiss freeze on Russian assets dwindles to $6.36b in '23    Prime Minister Madbouly reviews cooperation with South Sudan    Egyptian public, private sectors off on Apr 25 marking Sinai Liberation    Debt swaps could unlock $100b for climate action    Amal Al Ghad Magazine congratulates President Sisi on new office term    Financial literacy becomes extremely important – EGX official    Euro area annual inflation up to 2.9% – Eurostat    BYD، Brazil's Sigma Lithium JV likely    UNESCO celebrates World Arabic Language Day    Motaz Azaiza mural in Manchester tribute to Palestinian journalists    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Honeymoon of horrors
Published in Daily News Egypt on 13 - 12 - 2007

The Farrelly brothers' newest comedy "The Heartbreak Kid has hit the local cinemas, but that doesn't mean you should. The movie sports their signature over-the-top garish sense of humor, Ben Stiller, and a lanky blonde babe. All the right ingredients for a blockbuster comedy but save for a few chuckles, falls short.
Stiller stars as Eddie Cantrow who bumps into Lila (Malin Ackerman) - an environmental researcher - moments after attending his ex-fiancée's wedding. Only six weeks of courtship later - which seems limited to lengthy make out sessions and very little else - Lila announces that she's being transferred to Holland. Pressured by his father and best friend, he decides to take the plunge and propose.
If she seems too good to be true, she most probably is. And as soon as they hit the road to Cabo, Mexico on their honeymoon, Lila soon begins to grate on Eddie's nerves. And the audiences' as well.
Egged on by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, Lila becomes unbearably irritating. Only one day into the honeymoon Eddie discovers that she's a former drug addict, heavily in debt, a volunteer at the environmental agency and a monster in bed. I suppose the moral is that you should do a little more talking and a little less kissing when you're getting to know someone.
Eddie, in great part to Stiller's déjà vu acting skills, is equally irritating. Even when he meets the woman of his dreams at the resort, Miranda, it's hard to muster any sympathy for his whining, complaining and self-centeredness. Miranda is sweet, funny, and gorgeous. Everything a man dreams of and a woman dreams to be.
Miranda is the only character that comes across as sympathetic. While Eddie is trying to find ways to break off his marriage to Lila, you just want to yell at the screen, warning her: "You can do better.
In true Farrelly style, the comedy is vulgar and at times obscene. The local censorship board had their work cut out for them, and in turn snipped away several scenes of the film. Thankfully, the storyline is predictable so their editing has a minimal impact on the flow of the story.
The movie is a remake of Elain May's interpretation of the 1972 comedy written by Neil Simon. It starred Charles Gordin as a social climber married to Jeannie Berlin. He meets Cybill Shepherd as the WASP goddess on a Florida beach three days into his honeymoon and realizes he has made a mistake. Lisa Nesselson of Variety writes: "Original pic's subtext about ethnic assimilation and class differences has given way to a sort of vulgarity-with-heart, with pic's R-rated antics a feast for grown-up eyes and funny bones.
Neil Simon's subtle wit is lost in the Farrelly's adaptation. The groom's dilemma is overshadowed by lewd jokes, and crude supporting characters. Uncle Tito (Carlos Mencia), the hotel employee who skipped all his training on political correctness, is exceptionally vulgar, and his sexual assault of Lila is less than hilarious, and Eddie's reaction to it is less than chivalrous. Eddie's father (also played by Stiller's father, Jerry Stiller) is garish - something happens while he's partying in a Las Vegas hot tub, but it didn't survive the censors' scissors.
Admittedly, there are brief moments of humor. But rather than heading to the cinema, this movie is one you should save for a movie night at home with a group of friends. There's nothing that the big screen adds (except perhaps to make Lila's legs longer). Wait for the uncensored version to hit the small screen; it's possible that the censors cut down the level of comedy in their recklessness. Hey, anything's possible.


Clic here to read the story from its source.