Film Review: "Failure To Launch"

It's hard to review any movie with Matthew McConaughey and be objective. I mean we are talking about the 2005 People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive", I mean he's the quintessential picture of sexy, the traffic stopping, goo goo eyes, excuse me while I change my underwear kind of sexy. So yes it’s hard to be equitable and unbiased when watching Matthew McConaughey do anything.

But I’ll try.




“Failure To Launch” basic, Trip is a 35 year old man (did I mention he REALLY sexy) still lives at home with his folks. Albeit he has a successful career, no problems meeting women, a lively social life and well he’s sexy. He is just unmotivated to leave home. So his folks (Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw) hire a professional interventionist, Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to date Trip and make him want to move out, unbeknownst to him of course. Along the way of dating and her text book lessons, things go a little wry and well they fall for each other, yes we saw it coming at the title. When her game is found out and exposed Trip feels the fool and cuts her loose. Knowing the two liked each other the very same group of people who set them up to fail bring their heads together and try to get them back together.

The bottom line is this is a funny and at times witty film, typical boy-meets-girl, boy-breaks-up-with-girl, boy-gets-back-together-with-girl film.

We’ve see this film a hundred different ways from Saturday but since every human is looking for love, it always works. We always go see it. Me, I saw it because it had Matthew McConaughey in it. Sorry I can’t lie. I would watch him shovel cow dung.The fun side of the film is wrapped up neatly with a pretty red bow by the three supporting roles. Trip has two friends (Demo played by Bradley Cooper and Ace portrayed by Justin Bartha) who also live at home with their parents but seem more at harmony with life and nature. Balancing the playing field, Paula’s monotone and quirky roommate Kit (Zooey Deschanel) brings a dry, adorable humor to the film. With these three I often found they stole the show from our two leads.

Here’s my one gripe…was it absolutely necessary for me to see Terry Bradshaw naked??? I mean Matthew hell yeah, but Terry…I just didn’t need to see that. And they didn’t’ just show him once but like three or four times. Eeeww. Of course we did get to see a few nice upper body shots of Matthew,( oohh honey come dance with me will ya?) but I just didn’t need to see anything Terry has to show.

Bottom line, this was a fun film even if it was predictable. I can’t see Terry Bradshaw as the father of Matthew McConaughey but apparently someone in casting did. I also could have seen someone else as the lead female as it was very obvious there was an age difference between Matthew and Sarah Jessica. The combination worked, it just could have been better. I think Drew Barrymore or Charlize Theron would have been better choices.

I give it a B simply because I would watch it again…. Because Matthew is so sexy!

Okay, enough of my drooling. You’re free to go.

Watch the trailer: