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Failure to Launch

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker
Director: Tom Dey
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2006
Rating: 3 / 5

I never really “got” Sex and the City. I admit that openly, just as I admit that I have never really understood the appeal of Sarah Jessica Parker. Honestly, I am not sure if she is supposed to be more of a guy’s girl or a girl’s girl. I can remember her as early as a pure eye candy run opposite Bruce Willis in Striking Distance, but I cannot say that I have ever really been impressed. Clearly, in the absence of her star-making television series, she is making a strong push towards the big screen, with decent results thus far. Her best foray to this point has been Failure to Launch, a film with a title just begging to be mocked by the nation’s film critics. Despite the presence of an incredibly likable costar in Matthew McConaughey, I expected precious little of the film, which might be why I found myself pleasantly surprised.

What if your son was thirty-five years old and still living in your house? What would you do to jumpstart his life? Such is the dilemma facing Al (Terry Bradshaw) and Sue (Kathy Bates), parents heading towards their golden years while trying to nudge carefree son Tripp (McConaughey) out the door. Tripp is not the socially awkward shut-in that one might expect in a situation like this. In fact, he is a good-looking lad, employed selling boats at the local marina. For whatever reason, he has not left the nest, despite his parents’ best intentions. What are a loving mother and father to do? Apparently, there are people whose jobs involve solving problems exactly like this. Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), a professional in this unusual arena, is brought in to bring Tripp out of his safe haven and get him ready to live on his own.

Things begin amicably enough for Paula and Tripp, as a “chance” encounter leads to a winning first date. Paula has a rather detailed plan, involving playing up to Tripp’s interests, winning over his friends, etc., all the while never getting emotionally attached. She is very successful at what she does, and her plan has never led her astray. When it becomes apparent that he carefully constructed routine is not doing the trick for Tripp, Paula resorts to more aggressive methods, thereby ratcheting up the stakes in their relationship. As is oft the case in such situations, the truth comes out at the most inopportune time. Will Paula and Tripp, who were beginning to feel something more than either of them expected, be able to overlook their relationship’s unorthodox beginning and see what’s right in front of them, or will their union prove to be an explosive failure?

People like Matthew McConaughey. Men. Women. For reasons that cannot be fully articulated, he is the type of fellow that both men and women want to meet. His charm is so great that he is able to completely dwarf Sarah Jessica Parker, relegating her to a mere supporting role in this comedy. (Admittedly, this is not an undesirable outcome.) Zooey Deschanel is the star of the supporting players, trumping the “buddy” roles thrown to Tripp’s pals, played by Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha. Oddly, the most pleasant surprise was the turn by ex-quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who put all of his acting “talents” on display during the film. These actors find themselves inside a briskly moving film, one that gives the audience what it has come to expect in a romantic comedy. Failure to Launch may not be considered a star, but the fact that it actually gets off the ground makes it a worthwhile endeavor.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13 for language.
Running Time: 97 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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