LOVE STINKS — ** — French Stewart, Bridgette Wilson, Bill Bellamy, Tyra Banks, Jason Bateman; rated R (profanity, sex, vulgarity, violence); Carmike 12, Plaza 5400 and Ritz 15 Theaters; Century Theatres 16; Gateway 8 Cinemas; Loews Cineplex Holladay Center, South Towne Center and Trolley Square Mall Cinemas.

"Love Stinks" is proof that even an awful, poorly executed idea can be borderline entertaining if it has enough funny jokes. This self-described un-romantic comedy will make you feel dirty in the morning for laughing at it. But laugh you probably will.

A hateful little number that pretends to possess insight into modern mating rituals, the film is basically an excuse for someone — our guess would be writer-director Jeff Franklin — to work out rage against women. There's nothing merry about this would-be "There's Something About Mary." Still, the consistently bilious wit at work here exerts a certain fascination.

Not straining his imagination, Franklin cast the comically deft French Stewart as sitcom creator Seth Winnick, a sweet-natured boy-child of a bachelor. He meets the charming, sexy but ferociously marriage-minded Chelsea Turner (Bridgette Wilson) at the wedding of his writing partner and best friend Larry Garnett (Bill Bellamy).

Two big differences, though: Larry was ready to settle down with his lady, and Holly wasn't a borderline psycho.

Anyway, after redecorating his bungalow, buying him a puppy, moving in and seducing him with a drag number out of "Viva Las Vegas," Chelsea can't understand why Seth won't pop the question. Frankly, neither could I; sure, she requires maintenance, but Chelsea gives as good as she asks for, and she actually exhibits more patience than Seth or the screenplay give her credit for.

But since the story is told overwhelmingly from a male point of view, Chelsea's tagged as the villain from the start. When matters take a turn for the nasty at the movie's midpoint, her pranks are portrayed as the cruelest and least reasonable — while his are looked at as good, vengeful fun.

None of this is presented through anything like cinematography; the visuals are pure sitcom setup (and the sound quality probably doesn't even reach broadcast standards).

But despite the movie's profound drawbacks, Stewart, Wilson and Bellamy give the material all the commitment and comic zest they can muster, and however unappetizing this rancorous battle of the sexes gets, at least it sticks to its guns and never goes soft-hearted.