HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, Danny Huston and Megan Fox with Thandie Newton as herself
Directed By: Robert B. Weide
R for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug material
By John Delia
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People may be the year’s best comedy. Loosely based on the true memoirs of Toby Young, the funny antics are hard to believe could actually happen in real life. The sidesplitting dialogue just keeps coming and coming until the last line is delivered. Simon Pegg’s over the top whit and humorous appearance make him the new Peter Sellers. If you want to laugh out loud, then this film should give you the motivation.
The film follows Sidney Young (Pegg) a failing British celebrity publication owner who has bumbled his way through the royal society. About to lose his publication, he puts his nemesis Clayton Harding (Bridges), managing editor of competitor Sharp magazine on his cover in the nude. Soon after, he gets a call from Harding asking him to come to New York and write for his magazine. Thinking he has now become an insider in the world of entertainment, Young goes all out to impress his new boss. Accidentally he insults Alison Olsen (Dunst), a fellow writer who is working her way to the top, and starts finding it difficult to cope within the office. Young doesn’t give up trying, finding creative ways in the face of everyone just to get a story, including top New York publicist Eleanor Johnson (Anderson). When Young falls for Sophie Maes (Fox), one of Johnson’s up and coming young starlets, he gets a rude awakening.
The storyline is snappy and full of very funny remarks that make the film fun to watch. I especially liked Pegg’s expression in the elevator when he hits the boss’s daughter in the back with food he chokes up. Another scene has him facing his worst fears when he finds out he is bedding Bobbie, a tranny. There is lot of sight gags and clever comments all coming at you at a quick pace, so don’t forget to take a breath.
What makes the laughter work so well are the support cast of remarkably funny characters. For example, Miriam Margolyes plays the owner of his rooming house who questions him a lot of weird things going on in his apartment; and there’s a belly-laughing interview with Thandie Newton by Young during a cocktail party.
But the winner here is Simon Pegg. He was great in Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, but here he tops them both and gives his best performance ever.
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People is a perfect date film so choose your best girl or a bunch of friends and start laughing. The film contains graphic nudity and drug use, so be cautious when deciding to bring young children.
FINAL ANALYIS: How to Lose Friends & Alienate People’s the right medicine to kick the blues. (4 of 5 stars)