08/20/06 My Super Ex-Girlfriend

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), directed by Ivan Reitman

watched w/ Leslie, Janine, Eric, Nick, Tom & Shelby; theater (Blue Ridge Cinema, Raleigh, NC)

Here is a self-proclaimed silly premise, by notoriously goofy director Reitman, and staffed by such big screen hams as Luke Wilson, Uma Thurman and Anna Faris...and all of it works, rather well at that! Of course, we went into the $1 theater with George Washington's in hand hoping for some light-hearted fun on the town (we're cheapskates), but never thought that the film would be anything special. I think the consensus was that it was terribly enjoyable, and kept us laughing throughout. I have to admit, it's a cheesy storyline, but that's the beauty of it. Matt (Luke Wilson) plays a regular guy who never has had much luck with the ladies...that is until he meets equally awkward Jenny (Thurman) who's alter-ego of G-Girl helps keep the city out of danger from bad guys with her super heroics. Things are going great between the pair at first, but when insecure hero G-Girl becomes a bit too clingy and finds jealousy in Matt's officemate/girl pal Hannah (Faris)...Matt wants to tuck tail and run. With the unhelpful advice of best friend and sleazoid Vaughn (Rainn Wilson, aka Dwight from tv's "The Office"), Matt dumps G-Girl as he pines for Hannah...sending the supernatural hormonal rage of one spurned woman out of control. It's like having an ex from Hell, with a chip on their shoulder...and then let the comedic imagination run wild. To make matters worse, Matt is coerced into trying to stop G-Girl's powers by her arch-nemesis/high school sweetheart Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard). There is so much comedic talent on display here that it keeps it upbeat and constantly coming at you...plus they love to throw some completely random things in to catch you off-guard. And when I say random, I mean it...let's just say, the next time you tick someone off...make sure they don't throw a shark through your highrise bedroom window. It's Reitman getting back to his solid comedy roots (classics like "Stripes" and "Ghostbusters"), rather than the tripe that he's been dishing out in recent years for meal tickets. He didn't quite jump the shark, just threw it.

4 out of 5 stars