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New York date doctor Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchens helps lovelorn men woo their dream women. His two biggest challenges come along at once when bumbling accountant Albert sets his sights on heiress Allegra Cole and Alex finds himself falling for a feisty female reporter with a nose for scandal. But suave as Alex is, whenever he sees newshound Sara, his cool goes out the window. Will the course of true love run without a hitch?
“Hitch” is a bright, endearing movie that begs to be loved as much as some of its hapless male characters. It is a romantic comedy with a heavy emphasis on the comedy, with a higher gag ratio than you find in some straight comedies. Director Andy Tennant is obviously a fan of rom-coms, having previously directed the frothy films “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Ever After” and “Fools Rush In”. Here he proves he has a light touch with a film that is enjoyable and utterly undemanding for the viewer. It pushes the usual boy-meets-girl scenario but adds the idea that someone is engineering these initial meetings and that this engineer isn’t as cool as he’d like when it comes to his own relationships. The comedy is divided between character observation and pratfalls, each superbly realised. The snappy pacing means if you don’t like one joke, there will be another one along any minute. Tennant’s use of punchy editing helps the film to clip along, as he sums up Hitch’s work with a lightning fast montage of first meetings and first, second and third dates for a disparate and endearingly geeky bunch of men and their romantic ideals. It feels like a man’s perspective on things, with palpable embarrassment and fear of failure playing as much of a role in the proceedings as the course of true love. There’s plenty of eye candy for the lads with lots of gorgeous ladies parading around the periphery, while the women either have Will Smith or some decidedly average looking blokes to gawp at. Though it is nice to note that there are plenty of mixed-race couples in the film and that class seems no barrier to love. The blokey atmosphere is added to by Hitch’s penchant for addressing the camera like ladies’ man Alfie. The visuals are glossy and well-framed though hardly innovative, falling back on the odd flashback for character development.
Your enjoyment of this film will depend on whether you like Mr Smith. He’s in virtually every scene, so unless you click with the character, this may seem a long movie. Even if you do like him, the film is a little flabby and could do with losing a quarter of an hour at the end of the movie, where it descends into romantic cliché.
The screenplay by first-timer Kevin Bisch is remarkably polished for a debut. He presents three types of characters; the articulate, self-assured leads (Hitch and Sara), the bumbling but well-intentioned second-string players (Albert and Allegra) and the plot devices (the leads’ best friends and just about everyone else). The focus is obviously on the leads and as a result they are the best-written characters, each with their own internal logic and motivations. The script is tight, witty and funny, the best example of this being Hitch and Sara’s first meeting where he deliberately doesn’t pick her up. It is packed with witty banter and character dissection that leaves little to the imagination. Hitch comes across as warm, perceptive and funny, while Sara is a ballsy woman who might easily be a screwball heroine of the 1930s. In fact the character has a more masculine edge than you’d expect in a modern romantic comedy. This could well be because the script is written from a male perspective which would also explain why the best defined relationship is that between Hitch and Albert, which displays real warmth thanks to its naturalistic dialogue and concomitant fretting. Similarly Albert’s sparse and hesitant dialogue with Allegra rings true (though this is mainly because of the delivery) and sums up the uncertainty of a new love affair. It is the inventiveness of the script that endears it to me; Hitch’s overly complex schemes show flair and imagination (like a set-up involving two dachshunds and a taxi) and each one for his clients goes off without a (if you’ll pardon the pun) hitch. But when he gets involved with Sara, things may be carefully planned but go terribly wrong through unforeseen circumstances (jet-ski breakdowns, ill-researched family histories and horrible food allergies) and it’s this unpredictability that gives it the edge over other offerings from the genre, as does its ability to laugh at itself and its stars. The only slightly worrying aspect of the film is a murmur of homophobia that shows itself in Sara’s stereotyped camp colleague and Hitch’s extreme reaction to being kissed by Albert.
I’m a big fan of Will Smith and it’s nice to see him going back to his comedy roots after a stint as an action man. He has great timing and can certainly deliver his lines. From the interviews I’ve seen, he appears to be a warm and genuine person and this shines through in his performance as Alex Hitchens. He is funny and charming (even when he’s threatening an unscrupulous cad) and effortlessly cool. The witty repartee fits his delivery and timing and his deadpan reactions are primed to amuse. He comes across as articulate and sensitive without being self-righteous. Plus he’s more than willing to make an ass of himself for the camera, whether he’s accidentally kicking someone in the face, getting drunk on Benadryl or dancing like a loon. He’s the sort of guy most men would want to be and women would want to be with. His performance only falters when he deviates from the script as he appears to in his climactic “I’m sorry” speech to Sara, which feels at odds with his previous characterisation.
Eva Mendes is as gorgeous as always as career girl Sara, who’s too busy for romance. In Mendes’ hands she appears determined and intelligent with a forthright attitude and workaholic tendencies. Her relationship with Hitch is unconventional and doesn’t feel forced because she has very good chemistry with Will Smith. During their relationship her character goes through a total turnaround that changes her into a happy-go-lucky lady. Though this seems at odds with her cynical behaviour it works because it is a brief interlude rather than a complete and irreversible transformation.
Television actor Kevin James shows his worth as the lovable loser Albert. Chubby but charming he plays the buffoon well, managing to be awkward and clumsy but always keeping the audience on his side. He has a talent for physical comedy, making the most of his pratfalls and dodgy dancing and knowing how far to take a joke. He is similarly blessed in terms of his acting ability, having a face that begs to be loved and great timing. Watch the priceless fear on his face as he realises he’s just quit his job or that his date is going to expect him to kiss her or his general love-struck gawping. Then there’s his rage-fuelled demolition of a newspaper kiosk. He has great chemistry with his acting colleagues and his relationship with Smith in particular is worth the price of the ticket alone. Plus his romance with Allegra is terribly sweet and it’s up to him to convey that because former model Amber Valetta isn’t given enough screen-time to develop her character.
The soundtrack is as cheesy as the grand finale. It features all manner of music from 60s’ Motown, current R ‘n’ B from the likes of Wayne Wonder, cuddly hip-hop, the Fine Young Cannibals, Everything But the Girl and high-energy mainstream dance from the last decade, including “Now That We Found Love”. Watch it with anyone in their mid-twenties and I guarantee they will cringe as they remember throwing themselves round their bedrooms to the early-nineties’ dance fromage, but won’t be able to stop themselves tapping their feet. It’s an eclectic mix and at times is over-literal (like the use of “You Can Get it if you Really Want”) and unrelenting, but it suits the up-beat philosophy of the film and its main character. It’s interesting to note too that when Sara is on the scene that she is rarely accompanied by any songs, though Hitch almost invariably is. The score by George Fenton continues in a varied vein, juxtaposing jazzy blaxploitation riffs with plenty of bass for Hitch’s missions, sentimental strings for the gooey bits and jangly salsa for the upbeat moments. It lacks internal consistency but fits the overall mood of the movie.
The costume design throughout fits the upscale New York setting, with plenty of nods to current fashion. Will Smith is dressed head-to-foot in sharp, custom made suits and expensive smart casual wear. Eva Mendes gets to play up the current trend for fifties’ inspired ensembles, wearing lots of black and white business clothes and pretty sundresses, whilst also getting to dress down in denim and form-fitting T-shirts.
“Hitch” is the ideal date movie – it’s romantic but has plenty of broad comedy, so no-one should feel left out. It plays on a charming script and charming performances from its charmingly dressed characters. It’s more of a comedy romance than a romantic comedy and though a little flabby in places, it’s nonetheless an endearing film that will leave you with a warm glow and the urge to hug the person next to you. Plus it gives girls some idea of just how difficult it is for a man to approach them and proves that nice guys don’t have to finish last.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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I wanted to watch this mainly because of the actor who plays Albert (King of Queens has become a morning ritual for me, until Channel 4 stopped showing it!). I really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed another fine film review by yourself! Cheers
purplelynne 31.03.2005 19:44
This looks good, it's definitely on my to watch list. Lx
LR_17 30.03.2005 20:42
I was laughing so much at this film, I seriously thought I was going to get the hiccups! my favourite bit was Alber showing Hitch his dance moves to one of Usher's songs!! Brilliant film and a great review hun. Leila :)
Will Smith's easygoing charm makesHitchthe kind of pleasant, uplifting romantic comedy ... more
that you could recommend to almost anyone--especially if there's romance in the air. As suave Manhattan dating consultant Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, Smith plays up the s...
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greatest matchmaker who will get you the girl of your dreams in just three easy dates, guaranteed! And that's exactly what Albert Brennaman (TV's Kevin James, The K...
Advantages: it makes you feel really happy and laughy and hyper...!!! Disadvantages: You might have stomach pain in the morning for laughing for much...!!!
Schnappi 31.07.2006 ·
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![Hitch [DVD] [2005]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78516752.jpg "Hitch [DVD] [2005]")
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