FAILURE TO LAUNCH

year: 2006

rating: **

The concept is good, if intriguing. A 35 year old guy (Matthew McConaughey) who still lives his parents, hence the title - "failure to launch" referring to leaving the "nest". But the film suffers from plot-amnesia, as we forget all about the concept very soon. The main character's not a pathetic guy who we can laugh at, or even laugh with. He's a perfect looking chap with a dream job and lots of beautiful girlfriends who basically has a really hard time with commitment - and the fact he lives with his parents is merely a way for boy to meet girl. His parents (Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw... talk about a mismatch!) want him out, and hire a young lady (Sarah Jessica Parker, basically doing what Jennifter Aniston does in every film... being herself) who's job is to help parents get their full grown adult sons out of the house (talk about a niche market!). The twist is that she has to make him fall for her and then he'll move out, or something. The funniest scene involves the main character getting bitten by a chipmunk, which has nothing to do with the plot... but what the hell, they had to get laughs somewhere. And hey, what's the plot again? I think a movie about slackers who can't "flee the nest" would be interesting, if done right. Or done at all. This movie doesn't even ATTEMPT showing us a character with real problems, or who is too lazy to live on his own. Instead we get a weak romantic comedy that goes in every direction, except an interesting one.