PLOT: Eva Mendes is a newspaper gossip columnist and Will Smith is a 'date doctor' - a consultant who helps guys win the women they love. These two seemingly mismatched people meet, fight, fall in love. You know the drill.
The American romantic comedy is generally a lacklustre affair with few laughs and no sizzle.
Thanks mostly to decent writing and the comedic talent of Eva Mendes, Hitch is a big exception.
The romantic elements are as gooey and dubious as you might expect, but the humour is truly attractive.
Will Smith is Hitch, a 'date doctor' and a mystery figure in Manhattan. His discretion is such that nobody is sure he even exists -- except his happy clients.
He helps hopeless guys win the hearts of the women they love.
Much of the film's humour stems from his work with a good-hearted nebbish (Kevin James) who adores a rich, seemingly unattainable woman (Amber Valletta).
Meanwhile, all Manhattan wonders if the date doctor is real or just another urban legend, like those crocodiles in the sewer system.
Eva Mendes is a tabloid gossip columnist who wants to know more than anyone, as uncovering the date doctor would be a giant scoop for her column.
These two eventually meet.
They date. (Their first date is a disaster.)
She has no idea who he really is or what he does for a living, but she finds out he's the date doctor, and trouble and misunderstanding follow. Will they make up and find love?
Oh, snap out of it.
You could have written this part yourself. It's not what counts.
What counts are the little gems sprinkled throughout the main narrative -- bits of unexpected physical comedy, fairly grown-up jokes, a surprisingly game performance from supermodel Amber Valletta.
In Hitch, everybody makes fun of himself, and often on the dance floor. But you laugh with people, not at them.
Hitch is a romantic comedy, so it's no surprise that it drifts into the mushy zone of incomprehensible twaddle near the end.
But never fear -- all is not lost.
Some of the best laughs of all are part of the end credits, so stick around.
(This film is rated PG)
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