It seems like every weekend there is a new romantic comedy debuting at the local movie theatre. I’m not a fan of this genre of movie since just about every single one is roughly the same movie over and over again. These directors and movie companies need to learn to do something new, just change something, anything at all. For example, I want you to picture in your head your favorite romantic comedy. Think about the story, think about the character and the actresses playing them, think about some of your favorite scenes and lines. Now, take one character out and replace that character with a superhero. That’s what My Super Ex-Girlfriend does.
In My Super Ex-Girlfriend Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) has had a hard time finding a date for a long time. One day while on the subway his friend (Rainn Wilson) urges him to ask out a girl they see. Matt asks Jenny (Uma Thurman) out on a date and things go pretty well. Jenny reveals to Matt that Jenny Johnson is just her secret identity and that she is actually the local superhero G-Girl. Eventually Matt realizes that he actually likes his co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris) and decides to dump Jenny. That’s when we find out the old saying is true; hell hat no fury like a superwoman scorned. Jenny becomes very angry and constantly harasses Matt in a way only a superhero can do, like for example hurling his car into orbit.
I had my doubts going into this movie, after all Hollywood rarely does a good movie with actual superheroes. Why should I believe they can make a good story where they make up their own superhero? But after watching this movie I was pleasantly surprised. I probably shouldn’t have since My Super Ex-Girlfriend was directed by Ivan Reitman, the same man who brought us Ghostbusters and Kindergarten Cop. What I liked best about Reitman’s direction was that the movie constantly progressed. I don’t hate romantic comedies because I’m anti-love story or anything. My problem with romantic comedies is they stretch out each plot point for an excruciatingly long amount of time. But My Super Ex-Girlfriend progresses very quickly. Matt finds out that Jenny is a superhero after just their first date and they breakup after just their second date. Both of these plot points most directors would drag out. Because Reitman gets through the setup so quickly he’s able to have plenty of time to focus on what’s good about the movie, Jenny harassing Matt.
Reitman did fail to avoid another thing I don’t like about romantic comedies though. All romantic comedies decide to use sex as a tasteless joke. Ninety-nine percent of the time the joke isn’t even funny or clever either. My Super Ex-Girlfriend is no different in two of its scenes. In one scene Jenny and Matt are having sex and to show how super strong Jenny is the entire bed moves while they are having sex. In another scene Jenny attempts to have sex with Matt while they are flying. Neither scene was funny nor was it vital to the story, in fact the two scenes dragged down what was otherwise an enjoyable movie.
Most of the performances were good as well. Uma Thurman (“Pulp Fiction”, “Kill Bill”) was very convincing as the crazy, revengeful ex-girlfriend and she didn’t seem out of place in the scenes where she had to play a superhero either. Luke Wilson (“Legally Blonde”, “Old School”) was less than spectacular but he wasn’t bad either, he didn’t bring the movie down any. That might not sound like much of a compliment but that’s more than I can usually say about his brother. Surprisingly I also like Anna Faris’ (“Scary Movie”, “Just Friends”) performance. Normally I’m not crazy about Anna Faris but it’s because she’s in movies like Scary Movie where she has to play completely over the top but most of this film she plays just a regular girl and it makes me wish she played more roles like this one. Unfortunately toward the end she goes through a change and the last couple of scenes she reverts back to playing over the top. The one bad performance comes with Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) or maybe I shouldn’t say it’s a bad performance but rather just a bad character. Rainn Wilson is a master at delivering lines and delivering facial expressions but his character is one of those typical scumbags you see in Romantic Comedies. You know the type, they brag about how many women they’ve been with and act like they’re too cool for school when it’s clear from their appearance alone they’re lying. At least this character is usually some rival who is sort of portrayed as the bad guy but in this movie the scum bag is Matt’s best friend and it totally doesn’t work.
While I enjoyed this movie don’t go into it expecting Ghostbusters or Kindergarten Cop, it’s not that good. But My Super Ex-Girlfriend is more enjoyable than whatever romantic comedy featuring Kate Hudson or Drew Barrymore is out this week.
