MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL

US, 2008, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Alec Baldwin, Jason Biggs.
Directed by Howard Deutsch.

Probably, several PhD theses in cinema studies are under way at the moment focusing on US romantic comedies and how they have changed over the decades but, especially, in more recent years. They have become much more sexually explicit in language, depiction and issues. In fact, an interesting thesis could be written on how many of them are portraying obnoxiously loud and obvious males who are any woman's nightmare – then showing how they go through some process that turns them into semblances of decent, even likeable, men. This is one of those films.

The trouble with My Best Friend's Girl is that Dane Cook is more persuasive when he acts obnoxious than when he acts with a touch of decency. Seth Rogen in the Judd Apatow comedies, which by now also must be the subject of theses, is able to say the most obnoxious dialogue but gives the impression that there might be something better underneath his roly poly exterior – and usually there is. With Cook, it is hard to believe in his conversion when we have seen how expert (and in the sequence of the wedding that he disrupts, how demonic) he is in being boorish. Yes, the romantic comedies of the 1930s introduced audiences to farce and screwball comedy but this one has too much emphasis on the screw.

Kate Hudson, who has inherited a number of her mother, Goldie Hawn's mannerisms, finds herself in a comedy that does not do all that much credit to her character either. Jason Biggs seems better as the lovelorn suitor – but then he is given some sex lines which undermines his credibility. And Alec Baldwin turns up as Cook's lewd and lascivious professor father who, no sooner is he given some sensible lines, mouthes some more lewdness.

This makes the film far too flippant in tone to support the ultimate message of true love and commitment.

1.The style of romantic comedy for the 21st century? American style? Franker and more open style?

2.The city settings, apartments, workplaces, restaurants? The wedding sequence? Identifiable locations? The musical score, songs?

3.The title? The reference to Tank, the reference to Dustin, the reference to Alexis?

4.The tone of the film, Tank’s behaviour in the opening sequences, his treatment of women, his being employed, his techniques? The change of heart? His love for Alexis, his misbehaviour at the wedding? The motivation?

5.The frankness of the film, sexual language, behaviour? The flippant tone? Undermining the commitment message?

6.Tank, seeing his exploits? The influence of his father and his crudeness? His missing his mother? His treatment of women, his bad behaviour driving them back to their boyfriends? His being paid? The crude techniques? Numbers 1 to 10? His sharing an apartment with Dustin? Listening to his problems? Going to Alexis, the affair with her, concealing it from Dustin? His being discovered? His outings with Alexis, his feelings towards her? The invitation to the wedding, going to her trying-on of the dress? The groom at the church and his threats to Tank? Alexis and her love for him, his decision to put her off so that she would go back to Dustin? His crass behaviour at the wedding, vomiting, the confrontation of Alexis’s mother? Dustin’s arrival, the speech, the revelation about the truth? The angers at the wedding? Alexis not wanting to see him? His going out with a date, his change of heart? Meeting Alexis, her creating a scene? The reconciliation?

7.Alexis, Kate Hudson’s style? At work, Dustin and his waiting on her all the time? The affair with Tank? Not deceiving Dustin? Her pity for him? The wedding, Tank’s behaviour, her confrontation? The finale and her behaviour in the restaurant? The happy ending?

8.Dustin, naïve, the attraction towards Alexis? Confiding in Tank? Betrayed by Tank? His constant attention to Alexis? The discovery of the truth, going into decline, taking time off? His disgust with Tank and ousting him? His performance at the wedding, the truth? The finale – and his supporting Tank? The lewd scene with the girl at the end, undermining his character?

9.Professor Turner, his feminist class, his attention to the young women? As a person, his career, lewd and crude? His influence on Tank? Listening to his problems? Moments of compassion – and then ironically turning them back on himself? A despicable character?

10.The variety of women, Hilary at the hairdresser’s and Dustin’s makeover? Her date with Tank? The profanity in the pizza parlour, Cheesus Crust? The waiters dressed as Jesus? Her being offended? Tank and his realisation, apology?

11.The various men that he worked for – and their reactions to him? The women’s reactions?

12.A screwball comedy – 21st century style?