Film Reviews

Guess Who

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Ashton Kutcher
• Details: US/ 103 mins/ (12A)

Ashton Kutcher continues his relentless quest to become the poor man's Ben Affleck with this flimsy remake of the 1967 racial relations' movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. In this single-gag movie, which counts Meet the Parents as its most risible influence, roles have been reversed as Ashton Kutcher plays Simon Green, a young stockbroker who has fallen for African-American girl (Theresa Jones). Blissfully happy, the couple have decided to marry, but have chosen her parents re-exchanging of vows ceremony to make their announcement. So far, so plausible. However, Theresa's father, Percy (Bernie Mac) is an old-fashioned sort, who doesn't quite like the idea of his precious daughter marrying a white guy, and does everything in his power to unbalance the couple.
Watch the trailer of Guess Who and you'll know precisely what to expect from this one trick movie, which doesn't bother extending itself beyond finding the means to repeat the same, so-tired-it's-virtually-catatonic gag over and over again. Considering the potential of the film's premise - race relations in a modern America -the screenplay is criminally banal, with the three credited writers' desperation to avoid anything vaguely contentious in favour of another bout of desperate recycling. Bernie Mac, a talented comedian, does his best with his underwritten, one-dimensional part, and even occasionally hits pay-dirt. Yet it's all too apparent that he's fighting a losing battle as soon as he has his first encounter the hopelessly inadequate Kutcher. At least Demi Moore is safe in the knowledge that she's the best actor in her house.

Review by Garreth Murphy