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Directed by Matt Waters. Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Breckin Meyer, Robert Forster, Anne Archer. Romantic Comedy. Synopsis: A successful and womazing fashion photographer returns home for his younger brother's wedding and meets up with an old flame. Upon making his disdain for the institution of marriage very clear at the rehearsal dinner, he is visited by the ghost of his playboy uncle and, thereafter, the ghosts of previous girlfriends. 

There is a reason good stories get told over and over. Its because they are good. Seems obvious, huh? Well, of course it is. We're talking movies, here, not rocket science. Most of us born or living in any part of the second half of the 20th cenury into this century have seen countless takeoffs or adaptations of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol (a novel that is close to two hundred years old, by the way) and the reason we have is because the story is good, compelling, and real on so many levels it became timeless.

So, why not an adaptation that takes the lessons of a Holiday out of it, replaces it with romance, and keeping the rest of the basic structure? O.k., by me, I'm always up for something new. So, you basically know the premise of the story before you even watch one second of it, plus the fact that it stars McConaughey. (No, I'm not accusing him of always playing the same type of character, if not role, since Amistad. I'm not...really. I'm just sayin')

Now that we've established that we all know how this one is going to play out before we even pick it up, the next question we need to grapple with is the age old mystery: Will I enjoy it?

I believe you will.

Why, you might ask?

Because I did, and I'm generally unsympathetic to romantic comedies as a genre. (Talk about formulaic and seeing nothing new) For reasons I can't adequately explain, even to myself, I really like McConaughey and generally enjoy his movies. For reasons that should be obvious to all when I state that I am red blooded male, I also like Jennifer Garner.

The story plays out like you know it would, beginning with a glimpse into the sexy, successful, and ultimately empty life of one Connor Mead (McConaughey Two For The Money) who juggles aspiring super model girlfriends with his aspiring super model flings and one night stands. And, to be honest, he seems to be having the time of his life. The first few minutes of the film, alone, give us enough laughs to justify the "comedy" in romantic comedy. 

Soon, Connor is off to the wedding of his little bro, Paul (Breckin Meyer) who is the polar opposite of Connor in that he wants to settle down with one woman. But, not all are awaiting Connor's arrival with bated breath. Those would include a number of the bridesmaids and Paul's slightly neurotic intended (Lacey Chabert), not to mention Jenny (Jennifer Garner), whom has known Connor since childhood, has experienced his "love 'em and leave 'em" ways up close and personal and is (HUGE SURPRISE!!!) the true love of his life.

Well, you put all those ingredients in the bowl, throw in some pre-wedding frivolity, add a little champagne, and you're going to get an interesting soup. As if our main characters are not interesting enough, the divorced parents of the bride, the sultry Anne Archer (Narrow Margin End Game) -herself a recipient of Connor's advances-and the father (Robert Forster Jackie Brown) add some serious spice and laughs to the flick. Especially Forster's character, the epitome of the stereotypical combat vet who is very reluctant to accept that the war is over.

But, my favorite character, and I bet your's too, is Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas The Sentinel ) playing the Jacob Marley role as Connor's deceased uncle, who did raise Connor and Paul but also taught Connor his playing-the-field ways. Douglas, whom I've always thought brings a tinge of comedy to his dramatic roles, is simply hilarious and, to use a cliche, steals the show. 

We all know that romantic flicks don't work ultimately unless there is believable chemistry and empathy between the two lovebirds and Garner and McConaughey have that here. So, it woks well, largely because its hard for this story not to work if its acted well. And, it was. 

So, my verdict is predictable. You'll like it if you like the Dicken's story, romantic comedies in general, or Jennifer Garner. If you're a McConaughey or Douglas fan, I'd say its must see. 

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Starring: Matt Dillon, Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, Michael Douglas, Seth Rogen. Comedy/Romance. Synopsis: A newly married businessman deals with his new marriage, disapproving father in law who is also his boss at the same time he invites his immature lifelong buddy into his home.

You just look the cast for this one and know it should be good. Good actors, funny actors, and a story line with plots and subplots that almost anyone can identify with...if we haven't been there ourselves, we probably know someone who has.

The setup for the story line is fairly simple but brilliant in the way its used for our story. Owen Wilson and Matt Dillon (Crash) are life long best friends who know each other about as well as they know themselves. But, they are not two peas in a pod. No, sir. Matt Dillon's character is driven, serious, and moderately successful in his career. Most importantly, he is about to be married to the love of his life, Molly( Kate Hudson, The Skeleton Key) And, it just so happens that his boss (Michael Douglass) is her father.

Owen Wilson (Dupree, as you might guess) is a thirty-something going on 16 who places nothing above having a good time. After making his belated appearance in Hawaii for the wedding as his friend's best man, we soon find out that Dupree has been a little down on his luck. "Down on his luck" to the tune of being homeless, unemployed, and having no money. Not that this seems to worry him as much it would-say, me or you-but it is a slight issue for him.

Well, his best friend gets wind of this and tells his slightly surprised new wife that Dupree will be staying with them...just for a while. Well, as you might guess, the idea of a guy so dedicated to the bachelor lifestyle moving in with his best friend and his new bride gives us plenty of opportunity for laughs. The good thing is that, even though we have seen some of this and/or no what's coming, its still plays as funny and fresh and does not lapse into comedy cliche.

There is another layer in the film, too, and that is the growing tension between Matt Dillon and his father-in-law, Michael Douglass. Douglass is hilarious, one of those actors who can be very funny in his "straight" roles without overtly trying to be (see Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds). He is the super successful, wealthy businessman who just does not want to completely let go of his little girl....especially when he is not too particular about her choice of a man. In fact, it kind of seems that, believe it or not, he actually kind of likes Dupree (whose stay, as you knew from the minute he moved in, lasts more than a few days) a lot better.

And, of course, Dupree's lovable shenanigans coupled with his friend's growing paranoia lead to a kind of role reversal towards the end of the story. Nice touch. For a film like this to work, there needs to be a connection between the two best friends, and Dillon and Wilson do it well. You really like and empathize with both of them, because we all have a best friend. And, for us guys anyway, its likely that we have had at least one friend like Dupree...you know, the kind of buddy your mom or girlfriend or wife wasn't to happy to have around. Not because she didn't like him, but because he always has a way of dragging you into something.

Kate Hudson has the toughest job here. You know, the one staple character in any good comedy that is chock full of other zany and over the top characters while she seems to be the only one who has it all together. What makes this character tough is to do it and still add to the comedy and she does. Seth Rogen is a significant minor character, basically reprising a more economically viable version of his oversexed and hilarious character in the 40 Year Old Virgin. 

You, Me, & Dupree is one you won't want to miss if you are a fan of any of the four main actors or if you just want to laugh. So, I'd say give it a shot.

But that's your call. 

Directed by Clark Johnson. Starring Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Basinger, Eva Longoria, Blair Brown, Martin Donavan. Thriller/drama.  Synopsis: A veteran Secret Service agent is accused of being a traitor within the agency as his affair with the First Lady is exposed. HIs chief pursuer is his former best friend and supervisor, whose own friendship was broken up over accusations of an affair.

Michael Douglas keeps on going, just like the Energizer bunny, in yet another dramaction (my term) flick where he is surrounded by a bevy of much younger leading ladies...hey, its good work if you can get and there is a reason so many of us are jealous of Mike.

But, lest you think that there is no substance to this flick, I will say that it pretty much delivers as a decent popcorn movie, keeping you entertained but nothing you will be thinking about or quoting a year after you see it.

Pete Garrision (Douglas Wall Street) is the seasoned veteran of the Secret Service, entrusted with the life of the President of the United States, a heady position indeed and one that Pete, who seems to be a living legend in the Service, is obviously well equipped to handle.

There is just one thing.

Pete is having an affair with the First Lady (Kim Basinger Cellular) and, as unbelievable as it may seem, no one knows...although there is one in the Service (Kiefer Sutherland The Lost Boys) who suspects that Pete is, indeed, having an affair...with his own wife. Needless to say, the relationship between the two previous best buds is somewhat strained. To boot, Pete is also breaking in an ambitious new partner (Eva Longoria) who is a protégé of his boss and former friend.  

And, like I said, its a dramaction film so there is some violence, suspense, and intrigue to go with the age old question of whether or not its possible to make time with the First Lady without getting caught. Early on in the flick one of Pete's buddies gets whacked in front of his own home and, immediately, some in the Service suspect a rat as the deceased agent was working on the sensitive issue of whether or not there is a mole in the Service, maybe helping to facilitate the assassination of the President.

Well, things get awful sticky when suspicions, not to mention fingers and guns, began to point Pete's way when evidence starts to pile up against him and everyone notices how strange and suspicious Pete's been acting lately.

From there we get into the meat of the action portion of the film, with Pete on the lamb from his boys in the Secret Service, able only to trust his girlfriend, the First Lady, and his new gorgeous partner who was initially sent to bring him in. Not to mention that Pete is trying to find out who the real mole in the Service is as well as stop the impending assassination of the President.

As modern dramaction movies go, this one is pretty formulaic, but that doesn't mean its stale or boring because it isn't. Douglas delivers his usual strong performance, being tough, tender, and evoking the right amount of empathy. For a while, the film doesn't tell us if Pete is the mole or not but, c'mon, this is Michael Douglas here, people, not Sean Penn. We know there is no way he's the bad guy.   

Sutherland is good, too, although many of you will probably think he needs to loosen up, just a little bit. O.k., in his defense, he thinks his best friend was making time with his wife and, as one who has known of that situation occurring in real life with people I know, lets just say that it can make the aggrieved spouse a little tense.

Longoria is the surprise here, for me, as I thought she held her own very well and maybe even stole a scene or two, which I did not expect going in. As one who is starting to contemplate middle age (still years away...really) I can only hope that all of the women in my circle look like Kim Basinger does at 50, which isn't to diminish her work in this film, she just really did not have a whole lot to do or much opportunity to stand out.

Like I said, the plot is pretty formulaic and veteran movie buffs will not be surprised with the way it turns out, you know all the time that the mole is one of two or three guys as soon as you realize that it isn't Michael (which you should have known before you rented/bought the flick).

All in all, nothing to write home, or to the Academy, about but a decent film all the same. I enjoyed it.