The Whole Nine Yards

Starring: Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2000
Rating: 2 / 5

Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry share the big screen in a comedy? Sure, Bruce Willis has done comedies before, and Matthew Perry made his name as wisecracking Chandler Bing on Friends, but seriously. These two actors did in fact come together for Jonathan Lynn's The Whole Nine Yards, and, unfortunately for both of their careers, the film quite simply is not that funny. Willis will not be hurt by this effort, as the film, though far from humorous, is not exactly what one would consider a bad film. Perry, on the other hand, once again proved that his sitcom persona could not make the jump to the big screen. It seems that some people (see David Caruso for details) should simply accept that their careers begin and end on television.

Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski (Bruce Willis) is a well-known hit man, one who has even appeared on the cover of national magazines. Jimmy's illustrious career appears to be over, however, as he rats out his boss, who is subsequently sent to prison. Declining the witness protection program, Jimmy moves to Montreal to escape the wrath of the crime lord's son, Janni (Kevin Pollak), and to hide in the relative obscurity of Canada. His arrival has a rather resounding effect on the neighbors, particularly the dentist next door, Oz Oseransky (Matthew Perry). Needless to say, his life is about to undergo a complete overhaul.

Immediately upon meeting his esteemed neighbor, Oz finds that he recognizes the notorious contract killer. Scared to death, he shares the news with his unloving wife Sophie (Rosanna Arquette), who views the new arrival as an opportunity to eliminate the husband she loathes. Enter Jill (Amanda Peet), Oz's perky assistant, who has a very unusual reaction to the arrival of Jimmy Tudeski. As if Oz's life were not confusing enough, Janni has his sights set on Jimmy, as do fellow mercenary Frankie Figs (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Jimmy's estranged wife Cynthia (Natasha Henstridge). Hit men chasing after hit men? All part of your typical day in suburban Montreal.

Bruce Willis plays the role of Jimmy Tudeski with his usual suave style, but, love him though I do, he really should stick to more action-oriented films. His sense of humor works best when shown in contrast to his typical macho demeanor. To me, Matthew Perry is the true star of Friends, but his film career has been stalled from the outset, and The Whole Nine Yards does not appear to be the cure for what ails him. The supporting cast does produce a few winners, namely Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile) and Amanda Peet, the latter of whom puts all of herself into the role. Rosanna Arquette, on the other hand, is horrible as Oz's conniving wife, and Kevin Pollak seems to suffer from a randomly fluctuating accent. If points were given for effort, The Whole Nine Yards might score well, but they are not, so save this one for a very rainy day.

Cast:

Bruce Willis..........	Jimmy Tudeski
Matthew Perry..........	Oz Oseransky
Michael Clarke Duncan..........	Frankie Figs
Amanda Peet..........	Jill
Natasha Henstridge..........	Cynthia
Kevin Pollak..........	Janni
Rosanna Arquette..........	Sophie

Certification: Rated R for language and nudity.
Running Time: 101 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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