“Date Movie”: A Comedy of Errors or Just Plain Gross?
The American comedy “Date Movie,” which has grossed over forty million in its home country, is unlikely to achieve the same success here. The film’s humor relies heavily on bodily functions and excretions, making it difficult for viewers to find much to laugh about. While American audiences may have enjoyed identifying the numerous film references, our familiarity with those films is limited.
The writers, Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg (of “Scary Movie” fame), claim to parody only “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “The Wedding Planner,” and “Meet The Parents.” However, IMDb lists over forty cited sources. American viewers, with their deeper knowledge of American cinema, likely caught more of these references.
For us, the references are limited to recalling that the “ugly duckling” transformation is a nod to Gwyneth Paltrow in “Shallow Hal,” the little black dress echoes Reese Witherspoon in “Sweet Home Alabama,” and the hero’s shorts and tank top mirror Julia Roberts’ attire in “Pretty Woman.” The therapy session is reminiscent of the opening scene in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” the dwarf character is a spoof of Hitch, the dwarf’s makeup imitates Yoda, and the sword fight and yellow jumpsuit are a tribute to Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. But there’s not much to guess, as the visual gags are obvious, and the constant references to the Empire State Building (a nod to “An Affair to Remember,” “Love Affair,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” and “Au plus pres du paradis”) fall flat. The main issue is something else entirely.
Is it Funny?
If you’re constantly trying to identify the references, you won’t find anything funny. And even if you take breaks from the guessing game, the humor still doesn’t materialize. “Meet the Fockers” was genuinely funny, but this parody of it is not. The cat is fake, the Streisand wig is unconvincing, the script lacks wit, and the essence of the parody is simply nauseating. An old man spits out a clump of black hair, which turns out to be chest hair from another old man he was licking during a rough game of ball. The heroine spits out a chewed-but-unswallowed chicken wing, which is then examined at length. Her yellow, jagged, fungal toenails receive similar scrutiny. And when fat is liposuctioned from her body, it flows into a jar labeled “Mayonnaise,” ready for sale. The film focuses almost exclusively on bodily functions, and frankly, even describing them is enough to make you queasy.
A Failed Attempt at Parody
Seltzer and Friedberg believe they’ve created a parody of romantic comedies, something “no one has ever thought of before.” But wasn’t “Meet the Fockers” already a parody of that genre? The difference is that its references were sophisticated, not crude. While the writers admit to making a “very hairy film,” they fail to realize that it’s actually a parody of everything that isn’t excretory or garbage-related. This is evident in the fact that they cite far more than just “romantic comedies.” While everyone enjoys a good laugh and comedies like “Scary Movie” have their place, to appreciate “Date Movie,” you’d have to be completely oblivious to anything beyond filth, or suffer from some serious physical ailments. Imagine living with constant constipation or diarrhea, refusing treatment, and then sharing every detail, sound, and smell with the world, believing it’s hilarious, just like the hero’s name. To make matters worse, “Fockerdoeder” has been translated into something even more vulgar.
The Cast
Adam Campbell, who plays the hero, is a newcomer to the screen. He may not know the difference between parody and a mental disorder. But the other three actors – his “parents” Jennifer Coolidge and Fred Willard, and the heroine Alison Hannigan – have experience with “American Pie.” It’s surprising that they’ve lost even their former lightness. The “Pie” movies had plots that needed to be acted out without constant questioning. In “Date Movie,” the actors simply expose themselves, showcasing the excretory systems of their made-up bodies instead of a story. Perhaps they were deceived?
In any case, after “Date Movie,” you can’t help but agree that the scariest movies aren’t necessarily domestic productions.