Susan Granger’s review of “How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (Paramount Pictures)
It’s pretty pathetic when this obviously overplayed comedy is what’s supposed to pass for cinematic hearts-and-flowers on Valentine’s Day. Adapted from Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long’s satiric “Universal Don’ts of Dating,” the story revolves around Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), a women’s magazine “how-to” columnist who experiments with a cautionary scheme to drive-men-away on Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey), a handsome ad agency exec. What she doesn’t realize is that Barry has his own wager going: namely, if he can make a woman fall head-over-heels in love with him in 10 days, his boss (Robert Klein) will let him pitch a lucrative diamond jewelry account. You see where this relationship is going, right? Directed by Donald Petrie (“Miss Congeniality”), the contrived battle-of-the-sexes plot chugs forth. Andie invades Benjamin’s apartment, infiltrates his weekly poker game with the guys, tricks him into taking her to a Celine Dion concert, and sabotages his enjoyment of an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden. Gamely, he goes along with her obnoxious behavior, trying to win the bet. Problem is: the script concocted by Kristen Buckley, Brian Regan and Burr Steers, lacks sharp, witty, intelligent dialogue, which is what this type of romantic comedy desperately needs. In addition, despite the giggly, adorable charm of Kate Hudson (“Almost Famous”) and good-natured Matthew McConaughey (“The Wedding Planner”), both characters seem inherently selfish in the cynical, psychological games they choose to play. Even their hidden agendas have secret compartments! On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” is a flimsy, frenzied, formulaic 4. Any resemblance to real-life romance is purely coincidental.
