Whipped

Rating:
Summary: Peter Cohen's rather cynical take on the battle of the sexes
Review: "Whipped" opens with three guys having their weekly Sunday brunch at a New York diner. We have Brad (Brian Van Holt), the lady-killer with the high-paying job on Wall Street, Zeke (Zorie Barber), the intellectual type who spends his days writing in coffee houses, and the overly sensitive Jonathan (Jonathan Abrahams), who apparently does not do anything other than wish he was at good as "scamming" as his two buddies. While Brad uses the "you look like my sister's friend" scam to score and Zeke brings home two babes who proceed to steal his television set, Jonathan's sexual experiences involve "Keri," named for his hand lotion de jour. At their next meeting all three have stories about a woman they met during the week who might actually prove there is something better than scamming. But as each relates their story, we realize it is all the same woman, which is exactly what all three guys discover when they all arrive at the apartment of Mia (Amanda Peete). Despite some initial awkwardness, none of them are willing to back off from the new relationship. Of course, each is convinced he is Mia's true love and the lady does nothing to dissuade any of them, to the consternation of their married friend Eric (Judah Domke), who lives vicariously for their erotic experiences.

Writer-Producer-Director Peter M. Cohen writes snappy dialogue replete with expletives and he is concerned not only with the relationships these guys have with the mysterious Mia but with each other as well. The obvious influences on Cohen's style as writer-director would be Quentin Tarantino, Woody Allen and the Farley Brothers. There are comic vignettes, including a few crude ones that do not fit the overall tone of the film and caused ratings concerns. For all their interest in scamming, it simply never dawns on these guys that they would ever meet a woman they would not want to sleep with on the first date or that any woman could ever come between them as friends. Their protestations of special feelings for Mia would suggest that these guys are not as shallow as they seem, but in the end there is nothing to really suggest they are not either emotionally immature or sterile.

The performances of male actors are adequate, given that they are playing characters rather than real people, but it is Amanda Peet' who holds the story together. If we do not believe that these guys find her desirable, the whole thing gets flushed down the toilet (you'll understand that one after you watch the film). It would have been nice if Whipped had been her breakout film, but better luck next time. In terms of extra features all this DVD offers are trailers and a commentary track Cohen, who impressed me by addressing a lot of the questions that came to my mind as I watched the film (e.g., how come there's no nudity for a film that is so much about sex?). An above average commentary track to be sure. Ultimately, the main problem with "Whipped" is that when we get to the rather predictable twist at the end of the film it is hard to tell if this is just the final punch line or a more cynical statement on contemporary relationships between the sexes.

Rating:
Summary: HILARIOUS, SEE THIS MOVIE
Review: A hilarious and insightful perspective of the dating world is portrayed in this off beat comedy by first time writer/director Peter M. Cohen. The story unfolds as the four male protagonists meet weekly at the local diner to confer about their dating woes. We meet Brad: a good-looking, wall-street playboy with a quick-wit and sharp tongue; Zeek: a cynical, sensitive writer; Jonathan: a sexually perplexed nice guy with an affinity for hand creams; and Eric: the married guy, who cherishes his weekly encounters with his single friends in hope for some enlightenment to his boring and banal married existence. The trials and tribulations of the men’s single lives in New York are amusingly expressed, mirroring that of "Sex in the City" and HBO’s new comedy "The Mind of Married Man, and bring an astute light to scamming.
The story takes a twist as the three singletons meet Mia--wittily played by Amanda Peet—and all fall for her. She seduces them each with her uncanny ability to conform to the personalities’ they exhibit. When they come to realize they have all met and fallen in love with the same woman, they chose her over their friendship.
"Whipped" is a realistic portrayal of the dating world, one that the critic’s failed to recognize. In plain language, they missed the point. The protagonist’s here are caricatures of real people. The exaggerations are hysterical, mixing satire and humility, and are not to be taken as seriously as the critic’s disparagement suggests. See this movie, you’ll laugh from start to finish.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of time and money
Review: After watching Amanda Peet steal the show in "The Whole Nine Yards," I couldn't wait to see "Whipped" in the theater. What a huge disappointment. This is a truly horrible movie. It wasn't funny or well-written; I was very bored. (If you liked the equally awful "American Pie," then maybe you'll like this. The two seem to use the same approach to comedy ... relying entirely on being sexually offensive to make people laugh. Apparently, some people enjoy that, or AP wouldn't have been the huge success it was. If you're one of them, this is the movie for you. If not ... run away from this one as fast as you can.)

Rating:
Summary: I Can't Buy Into It
Review: Amanda Pete is sexy and there was a bit of nudity, but otherwise this film did nothing for me. A bunch of guys who get together once a week and talk about their conquests? I can't even relate. And they're trying to convince me that women are just as ruthless in their hornyness? Yeah right! See it if you're a big fan of fart jokes, or whatever...

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious! Right on about the NYC dating scene.
Review: Anybody who's lived in New York city as a single person between the ages of 20 and 35 knows exactly what this movie's all about. In a nutshell, it is a male Sex and the City, but much funnier. Granted the characters are slightly exaggerated, but that adds to the comedic effect. There are certain scenes in this movie that will make you laugh so hard that you will never forget them. Do yourself a big favor and watch this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: At first, I was very skeptical about buying this DVD. Mostly due to the bad critical reviews. The film however, pleasantly surprised me.

I watched the "Whipped" DVD this past Thursday with a few friends, male and female, and couldn't believe how funny and dead-on the comedy was. When we watched it a second time, with the audio commentary, we learned an amazing truth about the movie. It was made as an independent film for under $150,000 and shot in 1998 before Amanda Peet's "Whole Nine Yards" and "Jack & Jill." Also, none of the other actors had ever been in a film before - they were all first timers and friends of the director's. Why was the film's near-record budget and independent status never advertised or discussed in any of the reviews? I remember seeing posters for the film when it came out and thinking it was a big studio comedy in the vain of "American Pie." It's totally not! It's a small black-comedy/dating-farce... and a very funny one at that.

The studio completely mis-marketed this movie. Maybe if it had been marketed more as the independent, slice-of-life film that it is, critics would've been more accepting of it and it's message: that some women are more like men then we'd like to believe. The movie focuses on four scammers in New York City and what happens when a woman (Amanda Peet) gets in between their friendship. I highly doubt that the filmmakers were trying to make an overall statement about society with this movie (as some critics tried to spin it) and I'm sure they never planned on a wide release.

After the second viewing, we came up with two reasons for why some critics and viewers possibly didn't like "Whipped": 1) The mis-marketing positioned it as something that it's not, which always pisses off everybody -- especially critics. And the more obvious reason: 2) Because they totally couldn't relate to it. Most critics are 40+, single, slovenly, and probably couldn't get a date if their life depended on it. Of course they're going to hate it.

If you can't relate to the reality of dating as portrayed in a film like "Whipped," or you have a hard time believing that there are people out there (men and women) exactly like the characters in this movie, than go outside for change and see for yourself. Open your eyes and stop criticizing what you don't know and/or can't relate to.

"Whipped" is insightful, real, funny, and incredibly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: At first, I was very skeptical about buying this DVD. Mostly due to the bad critical reviews. The film however, pleasantly surprised me.

I watched the "Whipped" DVD this past Thursday with a few friends, male and female, and couldn't believe how funny and dead-on the comedy was. When we watched it a second time, with the audio commentary, we learned an amazing truth about the movie. It was made as an independent film for under $150,000 and shot in 1998 before Amanda Peet's "Whole Nine Yards" and "Jack & Jill." Also, none of the other actors had ever been in a film before - they were all first timers and friends of the director's. Why was the film's near-record budget and independent status never advertised or discussed in any of the reviews? I remember seeing posters for the film when it came out and thinking it was a big studio comedy in the vain of "American Pie." It's totally not! It's a small black-comedy/dating-farce... and a very funny one at that.

The studio completely mis-marketed this movie. Maybe if it had been marketed more as the independent, slice-of-life film that it is, critics would've been more accepting of it and it's message: that some women are more like men then we'd like to believe. The movie focuses on four scammers in New York City and what happens when a woman (Amanda Peet) gets in between their friendship. I highly doubt that the filmmakers were trying to make an overall statement about society with this movie (as some critics tried to spin it) and I'm sure they never planned on a wide release.

After the second viewing, we came up with two reasons for why some critics and viewers possibly didn't like "Whipped": 1) The mis-marketing positioned it as something that it's not, which always pisses off everybody -- especially critics. And the more obvious reason: 2) Because they totally couldn't relate to it. Most critics are 40+, single, slovenly, and probably couldn't get a date if their life depended on it. Of course they're going to hate it.

If you can't relate to the reality of dating as portrayed in a film like "Whipped," or you have a hard time believing that there are people out there (men and women) exactly like the characters in this movie, than go outside for change and see for yourself. Open your eyes and stop criticizing what you don't know and/or can't relate to.

"Whipped" is insightful, real, funny, and incredibly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: LOSER'S LOOKING FOR LOVE
Review: Brad, Zeke, Jonathan, and Eric are friends that meet every Sunday and discuss their sexual encounters. Brad is the smooth talking Wall Street guy (the BIGGEST LOSER in the bunch), Zeke is the tough writer (almost as big a loser as Brad), Jonathan the shy, bad with women, artisy type (the only charcater in the film that is half-way normal, except for the Karma Chameleon scene), and Eric the married guy, who is living his fantasies through his three friends.

As these three casanova's try to bed everything they come into contact with, they meet Mia (the awesome Amanda Peet), a young, single NY woman who happens to be attracted to each of the guys.

Unknowingly, all three friends have begun dating Mia, each thinking that they have found the woman they could settle down with, but when they realize they all are seeing the same woman, they wage an ALL OUT WAR to win the heart of Mia, but are they prepared for the outcome? Who will Mia choose?

"Whipped" is not a good movie.

Now, on to the only good stuff in the movie...Amanda Peet, she is funny, sexy, and although, this part is not as good as her scene stealing turn in "The Whole Nine Yards", she does give the movie's best performance.

If you have nothing else to watch, or if you just want to see Amanda Peet, then rent this, for any other other reason you would be wasting your time and money.

Nick Gonnella

Rating:
Summary: A waste of the actors...
Review: Every Sunday, a trio of buds get together at a NYC diner to boast about their sexual conquests of the night before. Sometimes they're joined by a newlywed ex-comrade and hoochie hunter who hangs on them like a puling barnacle. They're unabashed horn dogs and corn dogs and Mia, who witnesses them on the prowl, decides that they need to be taught a lesson, dammit. So she'll date and dump - why not? All of them!

Gasp. What a wild idea. What a radical, naughty gal. Women now have the right to date and sleep around as much as they want to. As much as men do, even! Honey, we got the message. We read "Maxim" and "Cosmo" too, okay?

There is one solitary laughable element in "Whipped". Namely the fact that not once, during the amigo's detailed discussions of their bodily functions and the oral talents of the bed partners they trash, do the other customers in the diner turn around and say, "Dude, we're trying to EAT here."

To see quality gross-out humor, try a classic like "Blazing Saddles".

To see love-rat buddies hanging out, slagging and bragging on their women as they eat and imbibe, rent "Swingers". Priceless bits: "How long will you guys wait to call your babies?" "6 days." Plus the luminous Heather Graham.

To see the lovely Amanda Peet at her snarky, man-eating best, try "Saving Silverman", a.k.a. "Evil Woman". That flick also has the sweet Amanda Detmer ("Final Destination"). Plus the excellent Steve Zahn.

But this - merciful God, this. It's truly unfortunate that a buddy movie with a great setting, a smart, cute heroine and three possible pairings had to have such a cop-out ending.

The leads are very attractive and approach the material with relish - let's hope more worthy projects are in their future.

P.S. - 30 "whip-oosh" sound effects to the screenwriter for use of the phrase "You go, girl". It was tired in 2000, and it's tired now.

Rating:
Summary: VERY VERY FUNNY... GREAT SCRIPT AND EXCELLENT DIRECTION
Review: Forget about every critic who bashes "Whipped". They all think that they are somehow "above" this movie. I laughed the whole way through. All the characters are just fantastic and played to perfection by the actors. Very funny flick about "Scamming" and not marrying the "Grenade". :) See the movie to know what I mean. Very impressive for a low budget movie. Trust me.