IF YOU'RE FORCED INTO A DATE NIGHT...

By: B -- 2/28/05

About 30 seconds into Hitch I turned to my girlfriend and whispered, “You’re going to hate me at the end of this movie.” I had a feeling the film would consist of Will Smith’s character preaching how to treat women: pay attention 24-7, be romantic, thoughtful, sensitive, etc. Since I’m not like that (and neither is any other man on the face of the Earth), I envisioned every woman walking out of the theater and looking at her man to whine, “Why don’t you ever treat me like that?” So, I wasn’t looking forward to Hitch.

The beginning of the film confirmed my suspicions. Alex Hitchens (Smith), the anonymously famous “date doctor,” works wonders as a consultant for men desperate to earn the attention of the woman of their dreams. His main client in the movie is Albert (Kevin James), a clumsy attorney smitten with celebrity Allegra Cole. In the midst of helping Albert, Hitch falls for a woman (Eva Mendes, I love you) and turns into a nervous wreck in her presence. The plot, concerning the two budding relationships, is just busy enough to interest moviegoers usually bored with movies of this ilk (i.e. me).

Though one shouldn’t expect anything groundbreaking, Hitch worked because it turned out to be a refreshing celebration of relationship imperfections. Unlike most romantic comedies, the moral of this story is that there is no formula or process to making a relationship work.

More important, any chick flick that doesn’t make my girlfriend question why she dates me is alright in my book.

POP RATING: 8

CRITICAL RATING: 6

B’S RATING: 6.5

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