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July 21, 2006
Uma is Ex-cellent in superhero flick
By JANE STEVENSON - Toronto Sun
PLOT: Uma Thurman plays a wacked-out New York superhero named G-Girl who gets medieval on Luke Wilson's ass after he dumps her for being a nutbar. Hell hath no fury like a deeply disturbed female superhero scorned. That's the very funny premise of veteran Canadian director Ivan Reitman's new romantic comedy, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, who apparently knew what no one else did: That screen beauty Uma Thurman could deliver major yuks in a movie. Thurman, as New York City's wound-up, deeply neurotic and possessive G-Girl, lets her mighty freak flag fly in the film, written by Don Payne of The Simpsons fame, and steals the movie in the process. Think Alex Forrest from Fatal Attraction with a touch of Thurman's own assassin bride from the Kill Bill movie series, and you've pretty much got G-Girl's extreme persona. Even more impressive is that Thurman actually plays two people in the movie. G-Girl's alter-ego is an awkward, glasses-wearing, brunette art gallery worker named Jenny Johnson, who bears little resemblence to the blond, beautiful and strong superhero who can fly, lift cars and missles, and throw laser beams from her eyes. It's an added bonus for those who pay attention to such things that G-Girl is nicely attired -- no spandex here -- and living in a beautiful white New York City apartment straight out of a Calvin Klein commercial. But back to the considerable acting talent assembled. Thurman's scene-stealing is really something since her onscreen collaborators include reliable laugh-makers Luke Wilson (Old School), Anna Faris (Scary Movie, Lost In Translation), Rainn Wilson (The Office, Six Feet Under), along with comedians Eddie Izzard and Wanda Sykes. Wilson plays the poor unsuspecting soul who makes the mistake of hitting on Thurman's alter-ego Johnson, and paying for it later as he comes to realize he's got to deal with a crazy ex-girlfriend with superhuman powers. Among her many misdeeds, she throws a great white shark through his window while he's in bed with another woman and tosses his car high up into the universe where it gets torched by space junk. The duo also share an hilarious sex scene, in which you'll never be able to hear Oye Como Va the same way again. The movie's best lines, however, are often delivered by Rainn Wilson as Luke's sidekick who's unlucky in love for obvious reasons as he cracks wise -- or in his case unwise -- on women and sex throughout the movie. Ultimately, My Super Ex-Girlfriend is lightweight fare but there are a lot worse ways to spend 90 minutes on an unbearably hot summer afternoon. BOTTOM LINE: Uma Thurman is delightful as a scorned superhero with the always droll Luke Wilson as the subject of her rage. Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson and Wanda Sykes and a script by a writer whose credits include The Simpsons add to the superness. (This film is rated PG) |
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