Romantic comedy isn’t easy. There are far too many ways to fall into cliches, to make plot movements through a simple wave of the hands or lose it by poor casting of the loving couple. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is not the perfect example of a romantic comedy but it doesn’t fall off the pier due to any of those three common pitfalls and ends up delivering an enjoyable couple of hours.
Matthew McConaughey has the kind of relaxed, soft pace that lends itself well, as he’s shown in EdTV and The Wedding Planner (though he was badly matched in the latter with Jennifer Lopez); he doesn’t show nearly as well in the big action films he apparently prefers. Kate Hudson gets a bit beyond the generic in this film, especially in the scenes where she’s going bonkers on the guy, though I’d suggest she get some better advice in role selection.
Director Donald Petrie has pretty bland oevre but seems to hit the occasional double, give him credit for a light touch here where he could have gone overboard–the bits with Mrs. DeLauer and Hudson’s girlfriend pretending to be a therapist, for instance. The soundtrack was reasonably memorable too, and made nice use of the classic Carly Simon tune You’re So Vain. An enjoyable diversion.
recommended
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