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How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

Cast: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, Danny Huston. Directed by Robert B. Weide. Story: Brit celebrity journo tackles Tinseltown. Running Time: 1hr 50 minutes. UK certificate 15, US certificate R.

I'm in two minds about How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. And I have enough trouble with just one mind.

Simon Pegg has to be our finest export in ages. Now he's landed the role of Scotty in the new Star Trek movie, it's crunch time. He's broken Hollywood, will Hollywood break him? On the strength of this movie, not likely - he's easily the best thing in it. Pegg plays Sidney Young, based on real-life celebrity journalist Toby Young, who wrote a book about his life. And blatantly lied through his teeth. I'm OK with artistic licence, but clearly none of this actually happened, it's a cliched rom-com script that Hugh Grant wouldn't have been out of place in. I read somewhere that it's like The Devil Wears Prada, which sounds absurd, but you know, it kind of is. So forget all you've heard about it being a true story of an Englishman in New York (metaphorically), expect a rom-com with Simon Pegg and a British slant on an American-style script and you won't be mildly disappointed like I was.

In the interviews leading up to the release of this movie, when asked about the real Toby Young, everyone seems to be trying very hard to avoid calling him a twat - it seems everyone hates him. He was even kicked off the set of the movie for interfering with the director too much. So it leaves a rather strange taste in my mouth to have him portrayed like this - a clumsy but selfless and likeable chap who happens to be very good at celebrity journalism but doesn't fit into the glamorous lifestyle. Which piece of the puzzle is wrong? I'm not sure, but I think the movie would've been better if it had broken away completely and come clean about its fictitious roots. Who knows, maybe that would've persuaded Kirsten Dunst to deliver a better romantic lead than the uncharacteristically flat effort she manages here.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is quite amusing, but fails to capitalise on a great cast. If it had been billed as a romantic comedy, my expectations wouldn't have been dashed and it would've got a 4 instead of a 3 - fortunately you lucky people are now fore-armed.

I enjoyed this film: 3/5

I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: 4/5

Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: 1/5 - one rather fake pair of plastics.

To enjoy this film: expect a romantic comedy.

Your comments

The comments printed here are not necessarily the views of Forwardcharm!

Go see this film, it’s very funny, in fact, take your girlfriend/boyfriend/partner with you.

I wanted to see this film on the strength of it starring Simon Pegg, having enjoyed his performance in Shaun Of The Dead, and despite having read one review likening it to The Devil Wears Prada. The star-studded supporting cast of Kirsten Dunst, Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges was an added bonus. Simon Pegg is genuinely funny, especially when he is clowning around. Ms Dunst is just too nice, thankfully, to be believable when she acts bitchy. She’s also goddamn gorgeous throughout, incidentally. Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges seemed content to play lesser roles, all the better for it. The story focuses on Simon Pegg so much that it distracts you from the “Ugly Betty”-style office catfights, and good job too.

In short, it helps to be a Simon Pegg fan to see this film, but there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Herbie, Salisbury