The Best Man

Olly (Townsend) is a formerly-successful writer on a downward spiral after he gets a serious case of writer's block. Now working as an assistant to the average-looking chick from Four Weddings and a Funeral, his life is the very picture of mediocrity. But when an old college friend returns asking him to be best man at his impending nuptials, Olly falls for his Mrs. about three and a half minutes after meeting her. Using every cliche in the romantic comedy handbook to inept effect, this is the latest no-hoper from the much-touted career of Stuart Townsend. The failure here is far from his fault, though, as the film is incredibly clumsily-made from the start - even though the hardworking cast do their best with some seriously DOA material. Schwartz's insecure direction echoes that of a first-time director and not someone who made the enjoyable Shooting Fish ten years ago. One serious hindrance is a complete lack of atmosphere, with little or no build-up to important scenes for the protagonist, so we're never drawn into his plight and thus don't care about his predicament. The disengaging nature of the material is ultimately its downfall, as the choppy narrative is too uneven to maintain a consistent tone, playing against everything the actors are doing right by offering nothing in the way of successful character development. That said, the easily-pleased among you may have a chuckle at one or two semi-decent gags; but the game cast and a particularly delightful Amy Smart are rowing against the tide on the way back down shit creek.