From Deseret News archives:
The Bachelor
Bachelor, The
Film review
After nearly upstaging some seasoned pros in Robert Altman's down-on-the-Bayou comedy, "Cookie's Fortune," last year, O'Donnell is opting to make similar films, starting with this sporadically funny romantic comedy.
However, his vanilla-bland lead performance certainly doesn't help the movie, which takes its many of its cues if not the setup for its entire plot from Buster Keaton's far-superior 1925 silent film, "Seven Chances."
In fact, if not for some scene-stealing supporting turns by Hal Holbrook, Ed Asner, Peter Ustinov and others, the film might have been awful. As it is, the initially brisk pacing seriously lags in the spotty second half, and some of the humor is too crude for a premise as lightweight as this.
O'Donnell stars as the title character, Jimmy Shannon, a twentysomething who's happily single even as all of his friends are settling down and getting married.
Also, his grandfather (Ustinov) passes away and leaves Jimmy everything in his will. The upside? Jimmy's inheriting $100 million and the family business. The downside? He has to be married by his 30th birthday which is the very next day.
With added incentive, Jimmy again proposes to Anne, who again turns him down. So, in desperation, he and his best friend, Marco (Artie Lange), begin a frantic search for a bride which includes some of his old girlfriends, as well as perfect strangers.
Admittedly, the material is familiar and extremely predictable. But there are some pretty amusing moments in the film's first half.
However, when the laughs don't come as easily, director Gary Sinyor and screenwriter Steve Cohen stoop to sexual humor and other lowbrow tactics, a bad choice that nearly undoes the whole thing.
Fortunately, there is an underlying sweetness to the material, which makes it at least a cut above the recent slate of romantic comedies along with a more appealing cast and better performances.
Though O'Donnell is pretty stiff at times, he does share decent chemistry with Zellweger. And the veterans seem to be having a good time, especially Holbrook, who's wonderfully eccentric.
"The Bachelor" is rated PG-13 for scattered profanities (including the so-called "R-rated" curse word), some crude sexual discussions and other questionable humor, and a particularly violent apprehension (done for laughs).
Recent comments
Kevin Bacon was great in this, & the chick who played his
wife...
MATT MOVIES | Sept. 8, 2003 at 12:13 a.m.
This movie definately kicked some azz... The storyline is
amazing!...
Stan (A.K.A Zircon) | April 24, 2000 at 3:20 a.m.
One of the best movies I've seen in a very long while.
Excellent...
sws | March 14, 2000 at 9:16 p.m.
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