Definitely Not a John Hughes

I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Everywhere people were talking about Bruno. Asking “Are you going to see Bruno?” I was getting so sick of it. No I am not seeing it now or in the near future. Why? Because Sacha Baron Cohen is over-rated. There is a fine line between offensive and outrageous and Cohen has jumped far over the line.

The man isn’t ha-ha-funny he is more of an oh-my-god-that-is-sick-and-making-me-uncomfortable-funny. People say that is the point, fine, but that doesn’t mean I have to subject myself to it. I will admit that Borat had its funny moments but not enough to rave about. So this, I’m not having any of this.

If you are looking for a review of Bruno you are not going to find it here. Maybe sometime in the future when I am bored to tears, or it on late night Bravo, or I am being tortured, I will watch and possibly review for you. But until then you can torment yourself with it.

This week I saw the other movie that had a little bit of a buzz. Yeah it was completely overshadowed by the previously mentioned but there was enough to peek my interest. I Love You, Beth Cooper.

No I don’t know or actually love anyone with the name Beth Cooper, that was the name of the movie. I Love You, Beth Cooper is one of those teenage, one night, coming of age movies that really tries to be a classic like the John Hughes films before it but fails. It isn’t an epic fail so you won’t walk out disgusted but the movie is easily forgettable.

The story takes place on Graduation day. The valedictorian gets up to the mike and says the one thing he has always wanted to say, “I love you, Beth Cooper”. Denis Cooverman, Paul Rust, has been talked into doing this by his best friend Rich Munsch, Jack Carpenter, by telling him this is the one way people will remember him at their 10 year reunion. This prompts a whole series of events that he goes through with his love Beth Cooper, Hayden Panettiere.

Like I was saying the movie isn’t the greatest but while you are watching it, it is a fun ride. It’s sweet, funny, and tries hella hard to create a feeling of nostalgia but just falls flat. The only nostalgia it creates is when Alan Ruck, who plays Mr Cooverman, is on screen and you miss Cameron Frye. The transition between moments in the movie are so abrupt that it seems the chop the movie up and lacks a cohesive seamlessness. But once the movie is over it leaves very little residual effect. It just kinda fades.

I Love You, Beth Cooper is based on a book. I have never read it but from what I have heard it was a great book with insight, nostalgia, and a fun light heartedness that made you fall in love with it. There is no way this movie has captured all of that. There are hints of these elements sprinkled throughout the movie but nothing that would make you love it. It does make we want to check out the book to see what is missing though.

I am kinda on the fence about this movie. It isn’t so bad that I can’t recommend it but it isn’t that great either. I Love You, Beth Cooper is worth a watch but not necessarily in the theatre. It is a lazy afternoon and it’s on TV kind of thing. It would be nice to see but there is no rush.

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