How To Lose Friends And Alienate People Review

Cast: Simon Pegg, Megan Fox, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Miriam Margolyes
Director: Robert B. Weide
Screenplay: Peter Straughan (screenplay), Toby Young (book)
Genre: Comedy
Rated: M Coarse language, nudity, drug and sexual references
Running Time: 110 Minutes

He's Across The Pond, And Out Of His Depth

Synopsis:

Names may have been changed to protect the innocent--and the not-so innocent--but this comedy adapts Toby Young's biting memoir about his struggles as a Vanity Fair employee. Brilliant Brit Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) stars as Young's alter ego, while Jeff Bridges is a Graydon Carter-esque magazine editor.

My Verdict:

English Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) produces an alternative magazine that pokes fun at media obsessed stars yet paradoxically, he is also a wannabe celebrity circuit participant. He makes headlines with a lame attempt to attend the invitation-only BAFTA after-party which is seen by New York based Sharps magazine editor Clayton Harding (Jeff Bridges) who invites Sidney to work for him in New York. Sidney accepts the offer thinking he will take New York and the magazine world by storm but arrives in New York only to be unimpressed with the façades of many people he meets. His attempts at humour are met with disapproval, as are his attempts not to toe-the-line as a journalist. Meanwhile Sidney falls for rising star Sophie Maes (Megan Fox) and is desperate to win her over whilst starting a friendship of sorts with colleague Alison Olsen (Kirsten Dunst).

How To Lost Friends And Alienate People is the story of Sidney and his journey of discovery loosely based on Toby Young's memoir about his struggles as a Vanity Fair employee. With this information it is easier to understand some of the ugliness of some of the characters as they selfishly pursue own agenda often at the expense of others and it is this issue that Sidney initially struggles with and provides the bulk of the running time.

Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun Of The Dead) proves yet again that he can easily produce a solid performance in another fish out of water role. He is perfect as the likeable but inept and klutzy lead who slowly reveals his competence. As good as Simon is, it is the rest of the cast that sometimes seem adrift. A few of the cast have limited screen time and therefore might be excused including Jeff Bridges as the successful editor, Gillian Anderson as a manipulative ice-maiden agent nor regretfully does Miriam Margolyes as Sidney's landlady.

Kirsten Dunst plays the forlorn female who falls for the wrong man whilst befriending another and is never really challenged. Megan Fox gets to glam up and play the superior wannabe actress with mixed results. And Danny Huston looks like he is just warming up and could have really let loose as the scheming womaniser but for some reason is holding back.

How To Lost Friends And Alienate People is a fairly standard comedy that is easy to sit through thanks mainly to the enthusiasm and the spark alive in Simon Pegg. He is the saving grace in a movie that sometimes struggles and loses its way and borders on alienating its audience with some of the more nauseating characters, even if they are the kind you love to hate who sometimes get their comeuppance. Often relying on visual gags, it does have its fun moments but never amounts to anything deep and meaningful, much like some of the shallow characters. See it if you are in need of some light relief.

Rating : ***

Christina Bruce