Three out of
Five stars
Running time:
110 mins
Enjoyable comedy with several big laughs, though it runs out of steam way before the end and is badly let down by a messy final act.
What's it all about?
A Farrelly brothers remake of a 1972 comedy, The Heartbreak Kid stars Ben Stiller as Eddie, a 40-year-old singleton who's under pressure from his father (Jerry Stiller) and his best friend (Rob Corddry) to meet the right girl and settle down. Eddie's always been too picky in the past, but when a chance encounter with sparky blonde Lila (Malin
Akerman) leads to a relationship, Eddie takes the plunge and impulsively proposes.
However, on the drive down to their Mexican honeymoon, Eddie begins to wonder if he's made a terrible mistake, especially when Lila's annoying personal habits are compounded by some unsavoury revelations from her past. As if that wasn't bad enough, Eddie then falls for Miranda (Michelle Monaghan), a fellow holiday-maker at the resort who has no idea he's on his honeymoon.
The Good
Stiller is a good match for the Farrelly brothers and he keeps Eddie sympathetic even when he's indulging in some pretty despicable behaviour. Similarly, Malin Akerman (whose resemblance to Cameron Diaz is surely no coincidence) manages to remain likeable, despite the Farrellys' best efforts to turn her into a blistering, sunburnt grotesque character.
The supporting cast are superb, particularly Rob Corddry and Jerry Stiller, who nab all the best lines. There's also strong comic support from Carlos Mencia (as sleazy hotel fixer Uncle Tito) and Danny McBride as Miranda's over-protective relative.
The Bad
As with most gross-out comedies, for every laugh-out-loud gag there are three that fall horribly flat – for example, hardly any of the slapstick really works. The film is also let down by a messy, badly written final act that seems to go on for hours.
Worth seeing?
The Heartbreak Kid delivers several good laughs but it bungles the climax and it's nowhere near as good as it could have been.
Film Trailer
The Heartbreak Kid (15)