| Overall Grade: |
B |
|
| Story: |
B- |
|
|
| Acting: |
B |
|
|
| Direction: |
B+ |
|
|
| Visuals: |
B |
|
|
Formulaic but well-executed
by MrB (movies profile)
Jul 10, 2008
20
of
24 people found this review helpful
If you enter with moderate expectations, you would not be disappointed in 'The Hottie and the Nottie."
Obviously, this movie was never meant to be an 'Important Film." Clearly it was not meant to be "Art." For that matter, it's not even meant to be original. It was meant to be a 90 minute fluff movie, a 'feel-good movie,' a 'date movie,' whatever you want to call it. At that level, it succeeds.
A lot has been made of Paris Hilton's inability to act. In this film, she is basically portraying a (more civilized and well-behaved) version of herself, so it's not that much of a stretch. The film uses her as 'the hook' to bring in male viewers, but the movie truly rests on the abilities of it's two main characters, Joel David Moore as Nate and Christine Lakin as June.
The story is pure formula. Nate chases after Christabel (Hilton) only to discover that he has to get a date for her best friend, the hideous June. Hilarity ensues, leading to the inevitable Happy Ending. Nate does a makover of June, and in the process he really gets to know her. When someone becomes interested in June, Nate gets his opportunity to be with Christabel, only to discover that the girl he really wanted was June. Nate then chases June, who has also realized that she really wants Nate. Like I said, Happy Ending.
It's a combination of two very old themes(The Taming of the Shrew and Pygmalion,) although I don't think that Shakespeare and Shaw ever expected to be mentioned in the same review with Paris Hilton.
Moore and Lakin are likeable and believable. They carry ths film along rather well. The acting is adequate, although many of the supporting actors deserve some recognition for
carrying stock characters well and trying to imbue them with some sense of three dimensions.
Greg Wilson as Arno and Marianne Mullerlile (Arno's Mom) deserve kudos for their work. Johann Urb (Johann the dentist)also makes a serious attempt to rise above the cardboard script.
It's not a serious film. It's meant to be a 90 minute 'feel-good' detour from reality. It's just one-step above 'made for TV' and a little bit higher above 'direct-to-video.' At that level, it succeeds. If you expected more from it, then you probably had unrealistic expectations. When I went to the local 'mondo-plex' to see it, I was nearly alone. I counted five people. We all seemed to enjoy it.
To be honest, I would buy the DVD when/if it comes out. I'd probably wait until it gets into the bargain bin, but I would buy it. |
My Public Profile 
