Fortune Cookie

It's tempting, but perhaps unfair, to call "Fortune Cookie" the cinematic equivalent of a bad date.

This independently produced romantic comedy, which was shot primarily in the Salt Lake Valley, isn't quite that bad. Actually, as a social experience, the movie is more like a particularly unmemorable date — forgettable but not completely painful.

And, to be honest, audiences looking for a live-action film free of profanity may find "Fortune Cookie" to be a refreshing change of pace. (This is probably the only movie out there sans foul language, though there is some use of crude slang and some humor that could be considered mildly vulgar.)

The film's biggest problem lies in the fact that it's just not funny enough, though a cast of virtual unknowns somehow makes the somewhat stale material seem fresher by sheer effort.

Among them are a couple of Utahns, Matt Barker and Rachel Kimsey, who star as, respectively, Heath, a geeky high schooler, and Doug, the popular cheerleader he's taking to the prom. Tonight is their first, and possibly only, date — which she agreed to simply to make her ex-boyfriend jealous.

Also on their first date are Beth (Utah model Brandy Snow), Heath's cynical older sister, and Trent (Christopher Marley), a hunky disc jockey who belongs to her book club.

And on a possibly more important date are Doug's mom, Carolyn (Terra Allen), and her longtime beau, Dean (Douglas Caputo), who are trying to decide the future of their relationship.

As luck would have it, all three couples wind up at the same restaurant on the same evening. In a even-bigger coincidence, all three dates seem to be going badly, at least until they receive their after-dinner cookies, which contain hand-written fortunes that may help decide the evening's outcomes.

Unfortunately for director Clay Essig and screenwriter Rob Thomas (co-writer of "Down to You" and co-creator of the canceled "Cupid" television show), this story line is a little too familiar. And the script is so talk-heavy that things get a little tedious.

But the cast does try to compensate, though their efforts range from good to ineffectual. Neither Marley nor Allen comes off all that well — at least in comparison to their warmer, more appealing dates. The real star here is Barker, who looks uncannily like a very young Nicolas Cage.

In fact, he and Kimsey have a very natural, convincing chemistry together, which will probably make you wish the film had revolved solely around their characters instead.

"Fortune Cookie" is not rated but would probable receive a PG for use of crude slang terms, as well as some mildly vulgar humor.