Forget all the furor about violence and other objectionable material in the movies. If lawmakers really wanted to do some good, they'd write a law prohibiting Freddie Prinze Jr. from ever making another film.

Or, failing at that, they should at least commission a research study to help us figure out how it is that each subsequent Prinze movie can get progressively (or is that regressively?) more stupid.

The latest — and lamest — of his already wretched canon is "Head Over Heels," a (deservedly) much-delayed comedy that only helps reinforce the critical notion that the good-looking but negligibly talented young actor was chiseled out of wood.

In fact, the best thing you can say about his acting-as-if-sleepwalking routine here is that he helps a cast that's primarily made up of fashion models seem better by comparison.

And the only real actor is Julia Roberts-look-alike Monica Potter, who stars as lovelorn New York art restorer Amanda Pierce. Amanda's been burned by a series of terrible relationships, a fact that she relates in detail to her co-workers, and to her new fashion-model roommates (Sarah O'Hare, Tomiko Fraser, Ivana Milicevic and Shalom Harlow).

However, things appear to be looking up when she falls for Jim Winston (Prinze), a charmer who lives in the apartment building next to hers. Despite an extremely shaky first meeting (she's sexually accosted by a dog he's walking), the sparks fly.

Unfortunately, Amanda discovers something that gives her some cause for doubts. As it turns out, her apartment looks right into his, and she witnesses what she believes to be a murder.

Needless to say, she's horrified — but she doesn't want to believe that her new boyfriend is a murderer. So Amanda and her roommates stalk Jim, hoping to uncover some evidence that will clear him and possibly allow the two to live happily ever after.

Besides the obvious resemblances to the far-better dark comedy "Grosse Point Blank," "Head Over Heels" is also an unsuccessful reunion attempt between Prinze and his "House of Yes" director Mark Waters, the only person who's ever coaxed anything even resembling a real performance out of him. But this time, Waters appears unable to get a rise out of his sleepy-eyed star, who has no chemistry with Potter and who has little affinity for either physical or verbal comedy.

Of course, Prinze and Waters aren't the only ones to blame here. When it becomes clear the initially sticky sweet approach isn't working, the film abruptly changes gears to gross-out comedy, complete with toilet humor . . . and gags of even more questionable taste. (That shouldn't be too surprising, considering that two of the four credited screenwriters had a hand in "There's Something About Mary.")

"Head Over Heels" is rated PG-13 for extremely crude humor involving bodily functions and sexual activities, violence (some slapstick, as well as gunplay and hand-to-hand combat), scattered profanity and a brief sex scene (played for laughs, which aren't forthcoming). Running time: 91 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com