The Bachelor

Rating:
Summary: Almost...
Review: The Bachelor is a movie with great intentions. The plot is cute, even though unrealistic. The actors are even good. However, that je ne sais quoi, the indescribable something, that all great movies have is missing from this film. I found myself during the comedic scenes wanting to laugh, but not finding any reason to do so. The touching scenes almost warmed my heart, but not quite. I wanted to like the movie, but I couldn't. The characters were unlikeable, however well acted. The only enjoyable part was Anne played by Renee Zellwegger and, unfortunately, too much of the movie was absent of her. Somewhere along the road to greatness, The Bachelor stopped at mediocrity. Trust me, this one isn't worth the trip.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I found this movie to be silly and at times irritating. It did have a few (very few) touching moments, and 1 or 2 chuckles but this is NOT a keeper. The film is blatant in its use of stereotypes (desperate women/weak men). It was hard to be sympathetic with Chris O'Donnell's character, when he was willing to throw away the "love of his life" for 100Million $, oh, wait, he was making the sacrifice for his employees. And why was everyone (especially the lawyer) so surprised by the amount of money in the estate?

Rating:
Summary: 7 chances...The Review
Review: This is a kind of movie, that no, it does not make you think, it does not make you not think, just a movie that you see. Ok, really, this could be consider a chick flick, but I suppose, being that the main star is Chris O'Donnel, I would call it a romantic comedy. This is a funny movie, with some mildly dramatic moments, my grandma cried. {CHICK FLICK, LoL JK.} I think this film had some pretty bad acting, maybe not bad but over the top. Renee Zellweger did not have a big part to me, her character was not realistic in this role. In the final scenes, when she is crying, you would think someone hit her, it was getting to a point where I could not stand it. This is a pretty average 4, not near 5. The beginning had the most comedy, Artie Lange in my opinon saved this film from being a drama. The object of the film is that O'Donnel's character has to marry someone by his 30th birthday and he will get 100 Million dollars from his Grandfather, who recently passed away. There is some humor in the film, I guess females would enjoy it more, it reminded me of Mike Myers "hit", "So I Married an Axe Murder", I could see alot of similar dialouge in here.

Bottom line, an over all good choice, just make sure you have a tissue ready.

Hope I helped either way...

Rating:
Summary: James Berardinelli
Review: The average, formula-driven romantic comedy goes through several predictable phases: the characters meet, fall in love, are split apart by complications, then get back together for the happy ending. To one degree or another, that adequately describes about 90% of the movies in the genre. Romantic complications can come in many flavors - the return of an old boyfriend/girlfriend, a misunderstanding, a momentary lack of discretion - but they generally serve only two purposes: to inflate the running time and to generate a manufactured conflict. They also represent my least favorite part of any romantic comedy; they invariably feel forced and unnatural. Even in the best films, these occurrence make viewers acutely aware of the seams in the script. And therein lies the biggest problem with The Bachelor - it's a romantic comedy where three-quarters of the plot is devoted to complications.

Arguably, the most important part of a love story (whether it's straight or humorous) is the portion of the film when the characters meet and get to know each other. It's during this period that the audience grows to like and appreciate them as individuals and as a couple. Regardless of what forces are aligned against them, we root for their romance to work. The Bachelor doesn't give us that. It rushes the meeting and the relationship's development by encapsulating three years in about ten minutes. That's hardly enough time to believe that these people love each other or to care whether they spend the rest of their lives (or even the remainder of the movie) together. Actually, the leads, Jimmie (Chris O'Donnell) and Anne (Renee Zellweger), don't turn out to be particularly interesting. They're attractive and likable, to be sure, but neither is compelling. And it's difficult to tell if there's any real chemistry between them, because there are so few scenes when they're on screen at the same time.

Jimmie Shannon is a confirmed bachelor, but, with the approach of the 30th birthday, he has decided that the time has come to settle down. Anne is the only girl for him, but he's afraid of commitment. As a result, his attempt at a romantic marriage proposal turns into a disaster. Instead of asking the expected question, he presents the ring with the less-than-endearing comment, "You win." It's all downhill from there. Within days, Jimmie's fiasco has become an "instant urban legend" and the perfect example of how not to ask for someone's hand in matrimony. His relationship with Anne has never been on less stable ground. And that's when the death of his grandfather (Peter Ustinov) drops a bombshell. In his will, old man Shannon has left a $100 million fortune to Jimmie, but there are conditions. He must get married, stay with the same woman for at least ten years (spending no more than one night apart per month), and have a minimum of one child within the first five years of the union. And there's one additional catch - the wedding must take place before 6:05 pm on Jimmie's 30th birthday, which happens to be a little more than 30 hours away. Upon learning this, Jimmie immediately tries to propose to Anne again, but his approach isn't any more successful, and, after she turns him down a second time, he's forced to look elsewhere - anywhere - to find a bride.

The Bachelor's underlying premise (which is lifted directly from the 1925 Buster Keaton silent film, Seven Chances) would seem to have a great deal of promise if used as the jumping-off point for a madcap comedy, but director Gary Sinyor and screenwriter Steve Cohen play it safe by sticking to the formula. Sinyor's reluctance to do something offbeat is especially disappointing since he was one of the men behind the camera for Leon the Pig Farmer, one of the '90s most strange and charming comedies. The idea of a man engaging in a frantic search for a bride over a 30-hour period should be a great deal funnier than what The Bachelor offers. The film is not without its clever moments. For example, a few of the early scenes are well crafted, especially those that compare the life of a single guy to that of a mustang and the wedding ceremony to a form of human sacrifice. Some of the vignettes featuring ex-girlfriends (cameos by Mariah Carey, Jennifer Esposito, and Brooke Shields) are also enjoyable. Overall, however, there's a lack of fresh material, and not enough moments that genuinely tickle the funny bone.

Given a better script, Chris O'Donnell probably could have carried this movie on his own. He exhibits the requisite charm, charisma, and good looks. The same cannot be said of his leading lady. Renee Zellweger, who was delightful in Jerry Maguire, comes across as a generic girlfriend. The character is shallowly written, with most of her scenes functioning as filler. There are some nice secondary performances by experienced actors Ed Asner, Hal Holbrook, and James Cromwell, but their screen time is minimal. Meanwhile, I wish there had been less exposure for the irritating and over-the-top Artie Lange (Lost & Found), who plays Jimmie's best friend.

The driving force behind this movie was probably the scene of hundreds of women in wedding dresses chasing Chris O'Donnell down a San Francisco street. It's the kind of shot that works better in a trailer or TV ad, where there's no context, than in the film, where there has to be a reason for it. Once again, the idea (would-be brides responding to a newspaper article explaining Jimmie's dilemma) is better than the execution. And one would at least expect The Bachelor's ending to be about something - the triumph of true love over greed, for example (or vice versa). However, the filmmakers were so determined to adhere to the formula that they passed up an opportunity for a better finale than the one we're stuck with. Consequently, this aspect of the movie, like most of The Bachelor, feels like a wasted opportunity.

Rating:
Summary: A Charming Romantic Comedy
Review: If you are looking for a thought provoking, intellectual commentary on the state of society, this is not the movie for you. But, if you are looking for a movie you can pop in and sit back and enjoy with a bowl of popcorn, then this is the movie for you.

Chris O'Donnell is Jimmy, a devout bachelor with commitment problems. He is totally in love with girlfriend Anne (Renne Zellweger) but when it comes to the idea of marriage he just can't pull the trigger. So how does this turn into an enjoyable piece of comedy? Jimmy's grandfather dies, and leaves him one-hundred million dollars, but in order to collect it, Jimmy has to get married... within 24 hours! Sure it's unbelievable, and sure it's even outrageous at times. But isn't that why we go to the movies?

O'Donnell is funny and charming, and Zellweger is as adorable as ever. (What guy wouldn't want to marry her?) The cast is filled out nicely by Ed Asner, Hal Holbrook, and Arte Lange (The Norm Show) with cameos by Brooke Shields, and Mariah Carey, not to mention the thousands of women running through the streets of San Francisco in their wedding dresses.

Whether you rent it or buy it, I am confidant that you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: Wedded miss.
Review: Sugary-sweet and woefully lame, The Bachelor stumbles on its way to the altar. Chris O'Donnell stars as a good-natured guy who adores his adorable girlfriend (Renee Zellweger), but just can't commit to her, just can't work himself into a marrying man. And so she leaves. Unfortunately, it's right about now that O'Donnell's grumpy grandfather (Peter Ustinov) kicks the proverbial bucket. And what does gramp's do? Yes, that's right, he leaves the millions of dollars behind for O'Donnell, but only if he marries by the time he is 30 years old. O'Donnell doesn't really want the hassle, but the family-owned company wil get the hostile take-over treatment if he doesn't come up with the money to save it. So what does O'Donnell do? He chases down Zellweger, who can see in his eyes that he's not coming from the heart. She refuses and O'Donnell is forced to track down every ex-girlfriend he's ever had, imploring them to marry him. Of course, O'Donnell soon realizes that true love was right there all along, but now it might be too late.

It's a terribly familiar plot, and it's put across with increasing desperation and sentimentality. Even a wonderful cast can't salvage the mess. O'Donell is all charm, no depth. Zellwegger makes every word and every emotion feel real, but it's as if she's in a different, better movie. Marley Shelton, a rising star, scores points as Zellwegger's supportive sister, while Ed Asner and Hal Holbrook chew the scenery as O'Donnell's friends/advisers, and James Cromwell treads weater (barely hiding his embarrassment) as a priest who sticks with O'Donnellm in case he finds Mrs. Right.

Director Gary Sinyor tries every old trick in the book, from quick cuts to dream sequences, from cameos to blaring songs. Too bad Sinyor didn't let the story do the job.

As it stands, any marriage between The Bachelor and its audience is bound to be brief and movie-goers can cite a premeditated overdose of schmaltz for the inevitable break-up.

Rating:
Summary: Fun date movie if marriage is on your mind
Review: An amiable film with a solid cast, there's nothing for the Academy to see here. Happily, there's a lot for people on the verge of marriage, or just those young at heart. Though I think the same pre-wedding jitters are fretted out with better style in, say, FORCES OF NATURE, this funny adaptation of SEVEN CHANCES is still a great date flick-especially if you already are engaged or married.

Chris O'Donnell and Renee Zellweger turn in charming performances, but then again the acting in the film is solid throughout. Of special note in this regard is Brooke Shields, who proves that her days on SUDDENLY SUSAN were good for at least one thing: sharpening her comic timing. And, though woefully underutilized, Hal Holbrook and Ed Asner make a welcome return to the screen.

To be sure, there is nothing here of great originality. You know from the title that our heroes will make it down the aisle. But the film is crafted well enough that one genuinely cares about the HOW of it. The writer has given the audience predictable plot twists, but ones placed with skill. Likewise, scenes are edited briskly enough that the comedy is fully realized. The effect of both is a movie which does affect the audience, even given its somewhat tired notions of gender roles.

[DVD Notes: Though this review is written prior to the release of the DVD, it's disappointing to note that there are virtually no additional features.]

Rating:
Summary: Oh! The horror, the horror!
Review: Accckkk! What a venal, stupid, stupid film! What a tragic waste of high-quality character actors!

With the likes of Asner, Holbrook, Cromwell, one would have hoped for something entertaining, but even these three (and whoever it was they got to pretend to be Oliver Platt) are incapable of overcoming the feeble script and overwhelming aura of vapidity emanating from the Boy Wonder himself, Chris O'Donnell.

The problem with O'Donnell is that, as an actor with this part, he has to convince the viewer that he is commitment-phobic. In order to do so, he has to overcome his very public persona as the most domesticated, least dangerous man in young Hollywood today. He is the anti-Christian Slater. Forget Michael J. Fox, this man has no Elvis in him.

The beginning of the movie compares bachelorhood to being a "mustang." A rather pathetic comparison, and it doesn't work -- O'Donnell seems more like a puppy that just is eager to please.

O'Donnell doesn't deserve all the blame. The screenplay is a lackadaisical hash. The direction is, at best, standard. Somehow, the sequence involving an army of brides marauding through San Francisco, chasing after Chris O'Donnell (one hopes for a bacchanal rending of the flesh), loses its potential for giddy absurdity. Renée Zellweger is adequate in her stomping and frustration with her boyfriend, but it is surely not enough to compensate.

A couple of bright spots: An academic shoots down O'Donnell's proposal, leaving one to wonder how they ended up dating each other in the first place. Brooke Shields has a great cameo as a desperate but snotty socialite who is tricked into accepting O'Donnell's offer. As she gradually learns what her future entails, she gets cold feet and recovers, each time her panic growing.

Anybody hoping for top-notch comic timing, believable acting, a clever plot, with witty leads, should look somewhere else. It's just not a very good romance when you just hope that the heroine would get a life and that the hero gets run over by a streetcar.

Rating:
Summary: Bad Story Wastes Good Start and Excellent Cast
Review: It would be nice to be able to tell people that "The Bachelor" is a funny, interesting story about a man facing the inevitable commitment of marriage with fear and trepidation. It would be nice, but it won't happen, because while this movie starts with a good premise and then gives the viewer a strong half-hour of entertainment, it ends up being a tedious film with too many cliches, weak characters and an all to predictable ending.

The story of Jimmie (the usually good Chris O'Donnell), who finds himself moving closer and closer to losing his prized bachelorhood as one by one his friends get married off. Jimmie finally decides it is time to propose to his long-time girlfriend (the beautiful, talented Renee Zellweger) despite the fact that he is not ready to settle down. Predictably, his proposal goes badly and he is forced to deal with the consequences of his actions. The immediate aftermath of the proposal is very funny, and if the movie had stuck to following these two characters attempts at repairing their romance, this could have been a very good movie. Instead, the movie slants off in a "Brewster's Million"-type storyline involving an inheritance that can only be earned with a marriage and children. Jimmie's search for a bride is not interesting, not funny and the end is way too predictable.

It is especially unfortunate that the makers of this film chose to take the movie where they did, because it wastes a very good cast and fails to take advantage of a nice chemistry that O'Donnell and Zellweger showed early in the film. Zellweger's performance is as good as any she has given and O'Donnell does as much as he can with his poorly written character. With Ed Asner, Hal Holbrook, James Cromwell (who's scene with O'Donnell in a boat is the only good part of the last two-thirds of this film) and Shani Engum, the supporting cast is filled with capable actors who are given nothing to work with. It would have been nice to see this cast put together in a good film.

Overall, despite the good start and fine cast, this movie does not provide good entertainment. It is too bad, because it could have been so much better.

Rating:
Summary: Boring and Tiresome
Review: Anytime you come across a comedy that's well written, superbly acted and delivered, and really funny to boot, it's a treat. Unfortunately, "The Bachelor," directed by Gary Sinyor, is not one of them. Beginning with the voice-over narration of star Chris O'Donnell, which draws an inane analogy between young, single, American males and wild mustangs, and on through the rest of the contrivances of the lame story, right to the end, this movie is a disaster. Right out of the gate, it breaks the first rule of successful comedy: Play it straight, and they will laugh. O'Donnell reads the narrative in a lilting, sing-song manner that plays down to the audience; it implies, "This is funny, you can laugh now." Never mind that it isn't funny, that there's nothing at all in what he's saying that makes you want to laugh. The intent, I believe, with this movie, was to make a romantic comedy; what they ended up with is the most unromantic drivel you can possibly imagine. When Jimmie Shannon (O'Donnell) asks his girlfriend of three years, Anne (Renee Zellweger), to marry him, she turns him down because his proposal is so crass; the worst ever made. Ironically, it comes in one of the worst scenes possibly ever filmed. Watching it takes you out of the story and almost makes you embarrassed for the actors. The next day, Jimmie's grandfather (Peter Ustinov) dies and leaves him over one hundred million dollars, provided he is married by 6:05 p.m. (the time he was born) on his thirtieth birthday, which happens to be in "Twenty-seven hours and change." Since the girl he loves has given him the gate (and rightfully so, because this guy is a real jerk) he spends the rest of the movie contacting old girlfriends, trying to find one who is willing to marry him. And for the audience, it makes for nothing more than one long, make that LONG, endurance test. O'Donnell brings nothing to the character of Jimmie; he is merely boring and tiresome. Talk about a less than sympathetic character. Renee Zellweger, whose career has been on a roll since "Jerry MaGuire" goes into a tailspin here. She does her best with what she has to work with, but it's not enough. That there's no chemistry between Anne and Jimmie is not her fault; O'Donnell is just so unappealing in this role, he couldn't make sparks with a flint. The talented supporting cast, which includes Hal Holbrook (O'Dell), Ed Asner (Gluckman), James Cromwell (Priest), Artie Lange (Marco) and Marley Shelton (Natalie) is wasted here, as well. Mariah Carey makes a brief, inauspicious appearance as one of Jimmie's former girlfriends, Ilana, in a scene better for all concerned had it wound up on the cutting room floor. The single high point (if you can call it that) amid all of this dreck, is the scene in which Brooke Shields turns in a notable performance as Buckley, another of Jimmie's girlfriends. She plays her with an aloofness that actually makes her endearing; and to find that in the midst of this film is a minor triumph. To put it as succinctly as possible, this is a bad movie. There's not a laugh to be had, and even the attempted slapstick and sight gags fall short, which proves that nothing can save a project that begins with a screenplay as acerbic and obtuse as this one. Personally, I refuse to walk out on even the worst movies, or to even turn off a video without sticking it out to the bitter end; it's like a code I live by. With this film, though, I must confess, I honestly came as close as I ever have to breaking my own rule.