Failure To Launch Review by Tim Basham
I love Matthew McConaughey. No, not in a Brokeback Mountain
kind of way (although I am very fond of Heath Ledger) but in a
“Hey, that’s my kind of guy” kind of way…kind
of. My personal sense of manliness, acquired (right or
wrong) from a baby boomer upbringing filled with TV westerns, Jimmy
Stewart reruns and Easy Rider on the big screen, is somehow justified when watching a McConaughey film. From his laid back Wooderson in Dazed and Confused to the do-the-right-thing defense lawyer in A Time to Kill to the unlikely heroic submarine captain in U-571,
McConaughey’s characters were the guys you wanted on your side.
And even when most critics were torpedoing his Dirk Pitt role in Sahara,
this reviewer defended the over-the-top action pic as a “boatful
of exhilarating fun”. That said, the love affair is now on thin
ice. In Failure to Launch McConaughey plays Trip, a
35-year-old playboy still living with his parents who are ready for him
to leave. So, they hire Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to do the dirty
work for them by seducing Trip into falling for her. Trip’s
parents (played by Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw) could just kick him
out, but as we learn later, they have their reasons. Unfortunately, the
reasons don’t make sense, just like the story. But before I bury
this film too deeply, let’s skip the fact that the plot is a flop
and talk about characters and gags. Trip has two still-at-home
buddies who totally agree with Trip’s philosophy of dumping every
girl before things get too serious. Paula’s roommate Kit (Zooey
Deschanel) is skeptical of Trip and every other guy. And it’s the
scenes with these friends that almost save Failure. Deschanel
gives one of the quirkiest, comedic performances of the year as a dark,
goth-like loner who has it out for a noisy mockingbird, going as far as
buying a gun and attempting to kill the singing once and for all. Her
begrudging relationship with one of Trip’s friends is
terrifically funny, and she comes close to stealing the film. But
what’s a romantic comedy without the animal world attacking the
male lead? Inexplicably, throughout the entire film Trip is accosted by
animals that keep biting him—from chipmunks to iguanas to
dolphins. They do, however, serve to divert us from the plot, or lack
thereof. McConaughey and Parker both do a descent job. But the
chemistry just isn’t there. And when you find yourself wanting to
see more of the “buddies” you know there’s a problem.
Even Bates and Bradshaw can’t save things (warning: the following
line may make you seriously ill) especially when the film’s big
nude scene features Bradshaw himself. (I warned you. Now try and get
that image out of your head.) The slight twist in a predictable ending
just isn’t clever enough, although I am glad I waited for the
closing credits. So, McConaughey, it’s time to do
what you asked of your beloved Texas Longhorns football team just
before they won the national championship. “Live the
dream.” Take on a role that means something. (Remember Lone Star?) But don’t worry. I still love ya…kind of. 2.5 out of 5
Failure To Launch
Australian release: 13th April, 2006
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper
Director: Tom Dey
Website:
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