In spite of the recent flop performances on the big screen by members of the "Friends" gang, Matthew Perry has proven that his talent can appeal to moviegoers as well as weekly television audiences.
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Fools Rush In
At Briarwood |
When he is placed in Las Vegas to be the site manager for a new night club, his life takes a drastic turn, and we see Perry in a similar role to his television one - a nice guy humorously facing life's troubles.
Instead of the annoying Janice summoning her Chandlah Bing, Isabel (Salma Hayek) struggles to remember Alex's full name. She and Alex have a simple one-night rendezvous that explodes into a life-changing experience, when she returns three months later to inform him she is pregnant.
Needless to say, the shock of the single experience brings some stale monologue of "it only takes once" to the boring introductions, but we can't help but hope that good-ole Chandler will pull through the lame beginning. He has the good-guy attitude and fine smile on his side, as well as the stunning Hayek.
Only a half hour into the film, however, their interaction is nothing great; they hardly feed off of one another, and they work apart instead of together. Isabel convinces him to meet her family, so her parents can associate a face with the father.
As expected, the experience entails more than simple introductions, and before we know it, they are married. The result of this evening sets the premise for an enjoyable, though sometimes predictable, drama/comedy.
The most obvious sentiment preceding the film is definitely fluffy love that pacifies the pathetic romantic. Initially, it's obvious that the film's initial intent is such. However, as it develops, it becomes more than overused attempts.
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| Perry in "Fools Rush In." |
Alex and Isabel share momentary lapses of true love, and it makes the other random cheesy moments just a facet of the general romance flick.
Much of their charisma is developed in their humble abode. Instead of a coffee house, Alex's headquarters is a boring suburban-type house in Vegas - until Isabel enters the scene. As a wedding gift, her very cultural and very disapproving family redecorates the house in a Mexican motif. The new furnishings entail enough religious paraphernalia to send Alex into a head spin.
It's these moments that bring simple and fulfilling laughs to the flick. Perry's facial expressions reveal honest sentiments that everyone always wants to say, but for tasteful reasons never can.
While the chemistry between Isabel and Alex can be dry and predictable, the details of her life make the story unusual and humorous. She has a father and five older brothers, who are all overprotective of the baby who proudly holds her own. Hayek is dramatic and funny, and she is also the fire that keeps Perry on his toes.
Also at Alex's side is his buddy Jeff (Jon Tenney), who is the average I-just-divorced-my-wife Joe who swears that women and marriage are just bad news. His character adds little to the film except as a complement to Alex.
What works well for Perry in "Fools Rush In," is that his big-screen role is similar to his television persona. He's a working man, who is a bit on the stiff side, but he enjoys a little mischief to keep his life vivacious.
Still, "Fools" sets the unfortunate mold for Perry's future roles. It was hard to remove him from his television style, and it will be difficult for Perry to escape the Chandler standard.
"Fools Rush In" is a basic sampling of the light and laid-back romance that has a one-in-20 chance of survival. It has more depth than a television series, yet less than an Oscar-nominated classic. The great one-liners, combined with a fine performance by Perry, leave us with a feeling of enjoyable fairy-tale love.
Matthew Perry has found a friend in Salma Hayek.