"Good Luck Chuck" contains most of the elements that should add up to a blockbuster Hollywood comedy. A possibly entertaining premise, physically appealing female star Jessica Alba, hilarious stand-up comic, Dane Cook.
All these things, however, can't save "Good Luck Chuck" from the movie doldrums. Placed in the barren movie wasteland that has been the month of September, it is easy to see why the ad campaigns for this movie changed so suddenly.
The first previews for the film had women chasing after Dane Cook ("Waiting," "Employee of the Month"), and Dane Cook chasing after Jessica Alba ("Sin City") in what appeared to be a promising film.
However, before the movie's release, the trailer abruptly shifted its tone, showing Jessica Alba's character, Cam, falling over and making no mention of the original premise of the movie. This, as it turns out, is a perfect allegory for the movie itself. The film has no idea what it is trying to be or who it is trying to please, and it ends up just like the ads: extremely confusing.
One part sex comedy, one part romantic comedy, "Good Luck Chuck" harkens back to the days of "There's Something About Mary," where this sort of combination would have worked. The problem is that in the face of this summer's blockbuster successes such as "Knocked Up" and "Superbad," "Good Luck Chuck" just feels outdated.
The former examples, which represent a new breed of comedy that bases its humor within its characters, have more of a naturally funny feel. "Good Luck Chuck," on the contrary, feels the need to toe the line of bad taste in order to strive for its jokes.
After viewing the movie, I had no idea what to think about it. Did I laugh during the movie, yes, but I didn't feel good about laughing at it. As a reviewer, the movie seems impervious to any sort of critical review.
The main character in this film, Charlie (Dane Cook), has sex with women and following their encounters with him, they are consequently able to find their true love.
The movie can be described, as the character of Charlie so aptly describes his love for Cam, "it is." At this, he pauses for effect so that one can ponder over the grandeur of this statement. It merely exists in the moment without any purpose or thought of how the movie might end up as a whole.
The movie is a series of things that movies have shown before and in better, more creative ways. Dan Fogler ("Balls of Fury") and Lonny Ross ("30 Rock") bring some needed hilarity to the premise, but their characters are merely a group of clichés that have been rearranged for this movie. The stoner brother, the sex-crazed best friend. Been there, done that.
As the plot evolves, Charlie, who was cursed as a child so that any woman he had sexual relations with will then find their true love with their next partner, is faced with the repercussions of this situation.
This naturally becomes a problem when he falls for the penguin caretaker at the local zoo, Cam. For a while, this love vs. lust plotline works with the movie. The movie slowly runs out of gas, while it proceeds to its inevitable conclusion.
The movie makes full use of its R rating, seemingly throwing in every token gross-out joke in the book in hopes that something might get a laugh. Watching this, one can't help but wonder who decided that this is a film that people might actually want to see.
Their efforts are not completely in vain as the movie's jokes hit and miss at about an even level. But on comes my moral dilemma of reviewing this film: It's critic- proof. One can not possibly pass judgment on something like this. How can someone critically assess a film in which Dane Cook performs sexual acts on a stuffed penguin? At the sight of a woman with three breasts?
"Good Luck Chuck" has its moments. Sometimes for the jokes, other times for the terrible conception of the movie's ideas. Overall, it was an experience comparable to a night out drinking until you get sick. It was fun, I had some laughs; but in the end, I just wish that it never happened.
Peter Rizzo can be reached at prizzo@student.umass.edu.
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