Hitch

(c) AJMalouin 2006
(Rating: 20 by Al)
(2005/USA. Directed by Andy Tennant.) (1 hr 56. Rated PG-13 in USA.)

This movie is only on this list because everyone Al knows who has seen it thinks it is “cute” or “clever and cute.” Al, however, thinks it is a one-joke dog built around an expansion of a single concept: white guys can’t dance and black guys can. Will Smith plays a black “date doctor” who gives white guy Kevin James lessons and pointers on how to attain the girl of his dreams. The movie is not about black and white, however, and the script is totally in the grey area. The girl of James’ dreams is billionHeiress [sic] Allegra Cole, played enchantingly by one Amber Valletta. Amber’s character gives us the dream that a girl surrounded by millions and millions of greenbacks could love, or even notice, that most potbellied of an Everyman, Kevin James. The plot points track around this movie like a wounded swordfish, and Smith and, mostly, James walk through their parts as if they are late for somewhere else. The movie does have two or three touching scenes but, as Queen Victoria said in another context, we are not amused.