Thursday, March 9, 2006

Review: 'Failure to Launch'

'Failure to Launch' just soars

CHUCK GRAHAM

Tucson Citizen

OK, fellows, here's a tip. The year's best chick flick for guys has arrived. "Failure to Launch" is "The Wedding Crashers" for 2006. Actually "Failure to Launch" is much funnier, and it includes a legitimately engaging performance by former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

He must be one of those people who are just naturally good at everything. Bradshaw can act circles around that other movie-making NFL quarterback, Dan Marino ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "Bad Boys II"), that's for sure.

Matthew McConaughey is the main man, though. He gets to do a couple of topless scenes so the ladies can see he's being faithful to his personal trainer in the gym. Good pecs, firm abs. (Am I paying too much attention to the details here?)

Sarah Jessica Parker plays Paula, the female in question. This being a chick flick and all, she's never gratuitously sexy. But as an actress hoping for new life on the big screen, her performance this time works out lots better than her Christmas 2005 movie, "TheFamily Stone."

Even better, true comedian Zooey Deschanel gets her break-through role as Paula's best buddy and roommate, Kit. She also gets to tell the funniest joke. It's a little tricky to set up, but basically Kit is being kept awake at night by the enthusiastic warbling of a mockingbird.

Since all the nice birds always sleep after dark, Kit is convinced this bird must be a prostitute of the avian world. That's not the joke, just more of the setup.

The real joke is that Kit thinks "To Kill A Mockingbird" is a how-to book for do-it-yourselfers.

"Failure to Launch" begins with the premise that McConaughey as Trip is a 35-year-old bachelor who still lives with his parents. His two best pals are also 30-something good old boys who live with their parents. Apparently this is a fairly common situation in today's big cities.

Children reluctant to leave home and face their responsibilities as independent adults are said to suffer from the malady commonly called "failure to launch." Paula is a therapist who specializes in encouraging these reluctant fliers to take off. Her technique is to seduce the male patients into falling in love with her. Thus their self-esteem is increased and in no time they have signed the lease on a new apartment.

What happens after she dumps them and goes on to the next patient isn't a part of this movie. We do get a hilarious scene, though, where Parker is at lunch with a lonely guy who lives in the world of "Star Wars" (but just the first three films). She convinces him this fixation proves he's not a geek but has a great sense of adventure.

Another small but terrific scene is between a husband and wife who are yacht-shopping with Trip, who makes his living as a boat broker. The husband keeps insisting he's a powerboat guy, not a sailboat guy. He loves power.

His wife, of course, loves the romance of sailing - though she is scarcely romantic in reminding her husband "Guys who drink Kahlua and cream are not power guys."

There's lots more stuff like that in "Failure to Launch." The dialogue is witty. The observations are shrewd. This one ranks right up there with such timeless romantic comedies as "When Harry Met Sally" and "Sleepless In Seattle."

Politically, there's a very sweet multicultural theme running through the story as well, not just about race but also about ecology and the vibe of unhappy people adrift in a naturally harmonious world.

Don't worry. You'll like it. Sugarcoated soft sell beats in-your-face hard sell every time.

Bradshaw is nicely teamed with Kathy Bates to play Trip's loving but long-suffering parents. Deschanel gets almost as much screen time as Parker and makes the most of it. Trip's pals, played by Justin Bartha and Bradley Cooper, hold up their end by keeping the comedy energetic and fun.

As the plot begins to develop, Trip's parents hire Paula to motivate Trip to move out on his own. Paula has no trouble getting Trip to ask her for several dates in a row. As we watch her set the trap, we learn just how devious women can be at encouraging the responses they want from the men they are after. Trip is smitten, but still not enticed to consider a more committed relationship.

That's when Paula, unfortunately, starts falling in love with Trip for real. She is like the hired assassin who gets personally involved with the target. Never a good idea in the assassin game. Or in Paula's game, either.

But there is one thing, guys. Even though "Failure to Launch" is a funny movie, don't act eager to see it. That just wouldn't be manly. Be sure first to get a few concessions of your own.

'Failure to Launch'

Graham's grade: B+

Rating: PG-13 (nudity, brief profanity, no violence)

Length: 97 minutes