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"The story is utter nonsense, but what makes the film work are the terrific comic performances driving it." |
| (Matt Brunson, CREATIVE LOAFING) |
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Struggling at the outset, the film actually stutters and sparks into some very funny sequences. Never quite shaking itself out of the ridiculous, the picture nonetheless finds a way to almost become endearing." |
| (Ross Anthony, HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD) |
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"The material has been done before and there's not much more one can do with it. Thank God for Queen Latifah and the broad strokes she brings to it." |
| (Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE) |
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“Offers proof that there are times when superior performances can salvage a mediocre script. Despite working with a screenplay that would be deemed thin by some TV sit-coms, Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, and Eugene Levy combine to transform this motion picture into a rewarding movie-going experience. Certainly, director Adam Shankman (The Wedding Planner) deserves some credit. Although his work behind the camera is in no way remarkable, he has the good sense to stand back and let his actors do what they're best at.” |
| (James Berardinelli, REELVIEWS) |
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"The film only truly stumbles as it enters into its plot-heavy third act, which wastes a lot of energy, but still can't manage to satisfy the audience’s desire to see Latifah and Martin fall in love." |
| (Jeremy Heilman, MOVIEMARTYR.COM) |
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"Questionably tasteful but often laugh-out-loud funny." |
| (Michael Rechtshaffen, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER) |
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"The equivalent of a fast-food meal - everyone seems to love it, it slides down in a hurry, imparts few nutrients, and has us skipping back the next day hungry for more. Rarely do we stop to ask why." |
| (Marjorie Baumgarten, AUSTIN CHRONICLE) |
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“There's plenty of smart comedy here, but the filmmakers are unable to resist dumb slapstick and unnecessarily zany side stories. The humiliations of racial stereotypes can be both funny and telling, but not when taken to these ludicrous extremes. It just gets eye-rollingly silly, which isn't really a surprise from the guy who directed the dire The Wedding Planner and the even worse A Walk to Remember. And some of the peripheral characters are painful stereotypes, such as White's nosy neighbour, Harris' brutal gangsta and, worst of all, Pyle's slutty ex-sister-in-law (who at least provides the screen's most screamingly funny catfight since the glory days of Dynasty's Krystal and Alexis). No, what makes the film work is the genius comic timing of Martin, Latifah and Levy, performers unafraid to go over the top for a laugh while keeping their characters rooted firmly on the ground. They're so much fun to watch that we find ourselves ignoring the film's overall lameness. And as a result, this somehow becomes one of the funniest, most endearing films in recent memory.” |
| (Rich Cline) |
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