Reviewed by Stuart O'Connor
Stars Matthew Perry, Lynn Collins, Kevin Pollak, Bob Gunton,
Helen Shaver, William B Davis, Mary Steenburgen, Noah Danby,
Ben Ratner, Monique Ganderton, Brian George
Written by Harris Goldberg
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 93 minutes
Directed by Harris Goldberg
Matthew Perry was easily the best actor of the three blokes in Friends (Lisa Kudrow was the best of the three girls). He's been trying to break free of Chandler's shackles ever since the show ended, and if this decent little black comedy is anything to go by, he's succeeded.
Perry is Hudson Milbank, a screenwriter who wakes up one morning with acute depersonalisation disorder — a condition that leaves him feeling disconnected from his own body and everything around him, meaning that nothing feels real. He's always had psychological problems (OCD, kleptomania) but he blames a night of smoking too much dope for this newest affliction. Things start looking up for Hudson when he meets Sara (Collins) at a script pitch meeting. They start dating, and Hudson soon realises that she is the only girl he can be himself around. But his lying to cover up his constant stealing soon drives Sara away, and he ends up having an affair with his behavioural psychotherapist (Steenburgen).
Movies that try to portray a psychological problem don't always work, but thanks to a decent script from Goldberg and some terrific acting all round, this one does. Also adding to the mix is a great chemistry between the two leads, which means the film wanes somewhat in the second half after Hudson's break-up with Sara. But Hudson's attempts to turn his life around and win her back are enough to keep us watching, thanks to Perry's excellent low-key performance. This is not your standard romantic comedy, and for that alone it's worth a look.
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