Film Reviews

Along Came Polly

• Rating:
• Director: John Hamburg
• Starring: Alec Baldwin
• Details: US / 90 mins / (15PG).

Now that the end is in sight for Friends, Jennifer Aniston seems to be making a concerted effort to de-throne Sandra Bullock as the kooky queen of rom coms, at least on the evidence of 'Along Comes Polly'. Her co-star here is Ben Stiller, an insurance risk analyst who refuses to take any chances with his own life. He doesn't forsee his new wife's (Debra Messing) infidelity on their honeymoon, and this leads him to a chance meeting with an old school mate, Polly Price (Aniston). Something of a live wire, Polly doesn't like to do anything by half measures and throws herself headlong into life. He's a little more conservative in his views and doesn't seem to know where he stands with the relationship, something that is further complicated when his missus decides that she wants their marriage to work after all.
Although the plot is slighter than an anorexic model, 'Along Came Polly' has enough going for it in terms of humour and general affability to make it work. Some of the gags err on the wrong side of bad taste - gross out humour passed its sell by date some time ago - and seem a little rushed, but the performances are reasonable, with Aniston and Stiller making for a likeable screen pairing. While neither exactly tests themselves - Aniston's done this before and Stiller seems to be an expert in embarrassing himself on screen - they have enough chemistry and director John Hamburg keeps things moving at a snappy enough pace. And it's nice to see the hugely talented Philip Seymour Hoffman playing it for laughs. For once.

Review by Garreth Murphy