MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND
US, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, Anna Faris, Rainn Wilson, Eddie Izzard.
Directed by Ivan Reitman.
You might say that it is all a bit silly. It’s a kind of Saturday matinee show for an adult audience rather than children. It’s amusing but not all that funny. Slight, momentarily entertaining and certainly not very demanding on the brain.
Ivan Reitman has directed a number of favourite comedies over more than twenty years. He was responsible for the Ghostbusters films, for Twins, Kindergarten Cop and Junior, three very amusing Arnold Schwarzenegger comedies and for Dave. Not a bad track record. But this is not anywhere near than major league.
The idea is not bad. This is a standard romantic comedy where the young architect (Luke Wilson) has been dumped, is getting bad and chauvinistic advice from his work buddy, likes his co-worker (Anna Farris) and is urged to date an attractive bespectacled woman in the subway (Uma Thurman).
Meanwhile G- Girl (who would give Superman, Spiderman and Daredevil a run for their money) is saving New Yorkers from robberies and disasters.
Yes, plain Jenny Johnson and G- Girl are one and the same.
Actually, the romance does not quite turn out as we expect. Our architect finds her too much and too neurotic. He is also hunted by an even more neurotic villain (Eddie Izzard) who is really in love with Jenny.
And that’s about it – except for a scene where a vindictive Jenny tosses a live shark into the apartment of her ex-boyfriend. That was different!
1.Popular romantic comedy with a difference? The blending of romantic comedy with the superheroes? Successful?
2.New York City, the familiar streets, buildings, restaurants, apartments, offices? The city as the target for crime? G- Girl and her solving all the problems? The manner of Spiderman, Daredevil, Superman…? The musical score and songs?
3.The focus on Matt Saunders, his work, design, the discussions with Vaughn Haige, Vaughn’s crudeness, bluntness about sexuality? Chauvinist? The later revelation that he was boasting? At work, the friendship with Hannah and working with her? His worry about not having a girlfriend? His character? His passivity? Vaughn urging him to talk to Jenny on the bus, the meeting, discussion, the meal, her coming on very strongly?
4.Jenny Johnson, bespectacled, the brown wig? G- Girl underneath? Her exterior, her manner, obsessive? The response to Matt, the outings, sexuality, the breaking of the bed? The neurotic behaviour, suspicions, seeing Hannah? Her continually rushing off to save New York? Her wanting to have a rest? At the meal with Hannah, the satellite hurling towards New York, her trying to ignore it, going to the bathroom, solving the problem, returning, seeing Hannah and Matt, going off in a huff? Her change of heart, her attacks on Matt, humiliating him? The verbal confrontations? The presentation to the clients, blowing the papers around the room, stripping Matt? His being fired? Matt trying to talk with her, her being unreasonable?
5.Jenny, telling Matt the story of the past, at school, the friendship with Barry? The meteor, her touching it, getting superpowers, her change of attitude, popularity, ignoring him?
6.Barry as Professor Bedlam, his henchmen, on the television? His experiments with trying to stop G- Girl’s power, getting her hair and the laboratory work? His confrontation with Matt, the henchman slapping Matt? The explanations? The surveillance in the rooms? The confrontation with Jenny, trying to protect her, the talk, the experiment and the change in Jenny?
7.Vaughn, co-worker, crass language, sex-preoccupied?
8.Hannah, her boyfriend, his advertising and modelling? Her support of Matt? Her discovering the truth about her boyfriend? Matt and Hannah together? Jenny’s vengeance, G- Girl throwing the shark into their bedroom? Her touching the satellite, her getting the powers?
9.The confrontation between Hannah and Jenny as the two G- Girls? The fight?
10.Vaughn, the girl at the bar, his confession to her?
11.Barry, the reconciliation with Jenny? Matt and Hannah together?
12.The tone of the film, the humour, the romance, the variation on the theme?
