Opposites are forced to attract in
Along Came Polly, a dose of featherweight fluff that could've been better and could've been worse--surely no pairing of Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston can be a complete waste of time, right? Faint praise indeed, but fans of these mainstream funny-folk will enjoy this movie as a lazy-weekend distraction. Ben's a newlywed insurance risk-assessment analyst whose wife (Debra Messing, in a throwaway role) betrays him on their honeymoon. His uptight, play-it-safe lifestyle (which includes acute aversion to germs and irritable bowel syndrome) makes him seemingly incompatible with the spontaneous, free-spirited Polly (Aniston), but writer-director John Hamburg (whose writing credits include the previous Stiller hits
Meet the Parents and
Zoolander) is determined to give them at least the
appearance of romantic potential. No such luck. You will, however, get a few laughs from supporting players Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bryan Brown, and Alec Baldwin.
--Jeff Shannon
1 Not Ben Stiller's best, but still a funny movie...
Over the past decade, Ben Stiller has displayed a propensity for producing blockbuster comedies, and Along Came Polly is a fun and enjoyable comedy. Although not on the hilarity level of There's Something About Mary, Meet The Parents, or Zoolander - Along Came Polly is nonetheless a funny film (and it's certainly better than the horrid Duplex fiasco with Drew Barrymore). Ben Stiller again plays the role of the nice guy, but this time with a neurotic twist. As a result, the audience still likes his character, just perhaps not as much as some of Stiller's previous roles. But with some hilarious comedy sequences and good one-liners, Along Came Polly manages to keep its viewers entertained quite nicely...
Ben Stiller plays the role of Reuben Feffer, an insurance man who avoids risk in every aspect of his life. Measuring everything from the probability of falling through a sidewalk grate to the odds of a piano falling on one's head, he calculates every decision he makes. Following his wedding to Lisa Kramer (Debra Messing), Reuben is devastated when (avoiding the risk of scuba diving), he catches his new bride having an affair with a scuba instructor on their honeymoon. Forced to reevaluate his life, Reuben determines that he needs to take on more risk in his life.
With the help of his friend Sandy, Reuben gets out into the public arena once again, where he runs into former junior high school classmate Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston). Polly is the exact opposite of Reuben in almost every way, and he decides to pursue her so as to have more fun in his life. Everything goes well until Lisa returns hoping to win Reuben back, and Polly discovers that Reuben ran a risk analysis on their relationship, determining that Polly was a good risk to take. Now Reuben must decide what to do with his life...
Jennifer Aniston, in her role as Polly Prince, turns in another great performance as a leading character's girlfriend (Office Space and Bruce Almighty). Playing a character whose attitude, demeanor, and life are the total opposite of Stiller's, the two Hollywood mainstays are able to save an otherwise adequately written screenplay. Some of the more hilarious scenes involve Reuben's has-been actor friend Sandy Lyle (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who continues to live off of his short-lived fame as "the kid with the bagpipes" in a 1980's movie similar to The Breakfast Club. In one scene, Sandy also "sharts" (a fart that's a little bit more than a fart), forcing Reuben to leave a party prematurely.
Overall, Along Came Polly is a fun and entertaining film that's well worth the time spent. Although Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston have both made better films, it does have its high points. Movie-goers will find this to be a good, light-hearted romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller stealing the show. Because of its headline talent and some good one-liners, Along Came Polly makes the cut as a highly recommended, must-see movie...
The DVD Report
2 ALONG CAME CRAPPY !
This movie is as funny as, re-electing George Bush!
It's a boring stupid comedy, with Ben Stiller the
dork in it! If you want to laugh, see Elf!
3 Along Came Nothing-
This movie was a real disappointment given the fact that I am a huge Stiller fan this movie was nothing short of a typical over the top, snore. When would think it would a be wonderful coming together romantic comedy.
In this movie Stiller plays a cautious, over protective guy given the fact he assesses risk for a living. In the opening Stiller has just married the woman of his dreams, bought the house he is always wanted, and then their honeymoon in St.Barts comes along in which his newly wedded wife runs off with a french nudist who loves scubba diving off his boat. Well, Stiller with the help of his friend- who is famous for some corny teen-flick encourages him to get back into dating. Stiller goes along for the ride running into Polly Prince a former middle school buddy (Aniston). Only Polly has changed she no longer is the same model U.N., debate, mathlete she is now unable to make the simplest of decisions and writes books in which children get mamed. But despite that there is something about Polly that Stiller enjoys maybe because she is the exact opposite and a real risk taker, salsa dancing, ferret loving person she has become. Just when Polly and Stiller get closer. Ben's wife comes back into the picture and Ben must decide wether or not to take the biggest risk of his life.
This movie was sweet although a little too predictable at times.
Ben Stiller is charming in this film and his salsa dance was so adorable I couldn't help but, love him. Aniston wasn't as charming as she usually manages to be... in fact, I think there was a better performance than from the ferret with her.
All in all this is one of those movies I would rent not buy.
4 pretty good
along came polly was ben stillers best movie, along with starsky and hutch. fans of comedies so love this movie. and i couldn't stop laughing from beginning to the end.
5 pretty good
along came polly was ben stillers best movie, along with starsky and hutch. fans of comedies so love this movie. and i couldn't stop laughing from beginning to the end.
6 pretty good
along came polly was ben stillers best movie, along with starsky and hutch. fans of comedies so love this movie. and i couldn't stop laughing from beginning to the end.
7 pretty good
along came polly was ben stillers best movie, along with starsky and hutch. fans of comedies so love this movie. and i couldn't stop laughing from beginning to the end.
8 pretty good
along came polly was ben stillers best movie, along with starsky and hutch. fans of comedies so love this movie. and i couldn't stop laughing from beginning to the end.
9 Hysterically funny
Either you like Ben Stiller, and his neurotic potty humor schtick, or you don't. If you DO, this movie is not going to disappoint. I actually had really low expectations, and found it to be hysterically funny.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman chews up the scenery, and almost steals the movie.
10 This movie was funny
This movie had it's funny parts and then it's really funny parts. Overall I think it was a good movie. Ben Stiller almost makes anything funny. He's a good actor. It was pretty entertaining, I recommend it
11 Funny: Weak Plot Great Support: Polly's Not Bad
Along Came Polly is a good film with a weak plot and poor performances by the lead actors. After saying this I will say that there are funny parts and if you don't care that the lead roles are played unconvincingly and are completely stereotypical this is movie is worth watching. I will say that the supporting roles do help sustain the movie from being a comple train wreck. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is great playing a role of a child actor grown up into a dissolusioned loser and Hank Azaria is absolutely funny in role Claude the French SCUBA instructor and it is worth watching this film just for these roles.
But its "tough nouggies" for Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston. Stiller is funny in the bathroom scene and a few others although he performs a Salsa scene that should have been an outake only available in the DVD version. He also makes these ridiculous facial expressions throughout the film that can only make one think that he wasn't trying too hard. I am not a fan of Jenifer Anniston. That being said she was bad in this role. She was great in "Office Space" but here she looks worn out and played the role so unsympathetically (maybe she just needs to eat).
Though it may sound like I didn't like the movie I will be forgiving and say that on the whole it is a fun watch. The DVD edition is full of outakes commentaries and an alternate opening. If you are fans of the actors then you will love it, if not you should still find it funny. The DVD is worth having for something funny to watch on a rainy afternoon.
-- Ted Murena
12 I was entertained
Yeah, this is your typical romantic-comedy. The plot stinks and the end is just as you would imagine. That being said, I sit here trying to describe why I will watch this movie again.
Was it Jennifer Anniston?? No, her role is good, but nothing spectaculer.
Ben Stiller?? Maybe. That guy can make me laugh by just standing on the screen.
I know..It is Stiller's friend. I can't remember his name(it's been a week since I watched), but Ben Stiller's actor friend is hilarious in this movie. He plays a child-actor who has grown up, but stills feels superior to everyone he meets. This guy makes this movie. Some of the stuff he says is just so out-of-line that you can't help but laugh. Now, when I say out-of-line, I mean that in a romantic comedy way. This movie is defintely grosser than most Richard Gere films, which is good for those guys like myself, who will have to sit thru crap like this all the time with their girlfriends.
The story...I'm not even going to get into it, because it's boy meets girl..boy discovers he likes girl...girl is not sure...so on and so on..
Don't be discouraged by the other reviews on Amazon for this movie. If you liked "Meet the Parents" there is a good chance you will enjoy this film.
13 Starts off with promise... ...promise is broken early on.
Hank Azaria and Philip Seymour Hoffman add humor in the beginning, however they are not the films focus. Ben Stiller provides a humorless part, I doubt he read the script because I don't know why he would choose to take a role where the supporting cast provides the humor and he is just the "feel sorry for" guy who gets cheated on during day one of his honeymoon. Debra Messing is much too likeable to play this part. We're suppose to hate her for what she's done to her new husband, but I just didn't. Now for Jennifer Aniston. She doesn't do to bad for playing a character that's about 25% developed. Need I say more? As for the romance in this romantic comedy.. Where was it? Did they even fall in love? Who knows? In the end Polly seemed unsure of what she wanted. I felt that the film was elevated above one star HOWEVER, because of Azaria and Hoffman. They played their roles superbly, too bad no one else on board was up to their par.
14 ALONG CAME POLLY
Yet another romantic comedy about unlikely people coming together despite themselves, and this one's worse than most. The premise is fine and you'd think that Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston would make it work, but not so. The two leads are talented, but somehow there's never any believable spark between them, and neither's character is particularly likeable anyway so it's hard to see what they might see in each other apart from sheer desperation. The script is terrible and relies heavily on bathroom humor and other juvenilia. This is an unfortunately crude, crass, blatantly unbelievable and highly unfunny film.
15 funnier than it has the right to be
This is sort of an off-the-shelf romantic comedy in which Stiller and Anniston craft themselves according to other characters they've played. Anniston is Polly Prince, a free spirited type with no roots. Stiller is Ruben Feffer, a risk averse whiz in actuarial science targeted for acts of mass embarrassment - including being dumped by his wife (Debra Messing) on his honeymoon. Emotionally devastated, Ruben connects with Polly, a girl he idolized as a kid. However, her free ways disgust him (she happily lives a life of disarray, of unset schedules and lost keys). Rather than the valor you'd get in epic poetry, Ruben proves his love for Polly by sticking with her through 2 months of walking her ferret, eating spicy food, repeated vomiting and ceaselessly irritated bowels. What Ruben can't quite divorce himself of is the element of risk itself - being his bane and her reason detre.
This was an especially thin story, one of those movies that can only rear its head in theaters between new-years and Memorial Day. It works though mostly because Anniston and Stiller work up their talents (if you don't like Stiller enough to watch him sweat like a pig, or projectile vomit, then this is not your romantic comedy). "Polly" also gets some surprising mileage from supporting stars - Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a former 80's brat-packer actor who doesn't know that his star has passed, Bryan Brown as a hazard magnet Feffer is reviewing for an insurance policy, Alec Baldwin as Feffer's boss, and Hank Azaria as a sun-fried SCUBA instructor who gets things rolling by breaking Feffer's heart.
16 Not as funny as I would have liked
In "Along Came Polly," Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston try to show that opposites attract, but they fail to get that message across very well.
The first twenty minutes of this movie are hysterical. Poor Reuben (Stiller) is happily married to Lisa (played by Debra Messing) for less than twenty-four hours before she cheats on him. Alone again, Reuben runs into Polly Prince (Aniston), a girl he went to middle school with many years ago. Reuben is a very straight-arrow, predictable guy, and Polly is the complete opposite of him. Somehow, though, Reuben finds himself drawn to her, and eventually has to decide which woman poses the greatest risk to his heart: his unfaithful wife or crazy, unpredictable Polly.
This movie started out great (every time I think of the flipper sex scene, I start laughing). However, after the first half hour or so, it really fell apart. I wasn't crazy about the character of Polly and I had a very hard time finding her relationship with Reuben believable. These characters have absolutely nothing in common, and they never establish a connection that makes the audience believe that their relationship is worth fighting for. Also, there is some gross humor in the film that is downright unnecessary: how many bathroom scenes does any one film need?!
Overall, "Along Came Polly" was disappointing. Fans of Aniston and Stiller will probably manage a few laughs, but all this movie really amounts to is another comedy gone bad.
17 Not too bad
I thought this movie had some funny parts, but I'm getting sick and tired of seeing Ben Stiller in this role of the loser guy who tries to get a chick but screws up horribly. It's getting a bit old.
18 Will Ben Stiller Ever Be a Big Star?
Not if he keeps making these ho-hum dumb comedies. OK, part of it is cute. The feret is cute. Jennifer Anniston is cute, but thats about it. Its a one joke sitcom of a movie. Actually, another sitcom star is in this movie, Debra Messing. She's not cute when she leaves good ole Ben during the honeymoon for a scuba instructor with large equipment. Ben is good at playing the loser, but lets give us all a break. Play a killer, a gay guy, a female impersonator, something interesting, but please!!! No more loser in love roles.
19 A funny feel good movie
I really enjoyed this movie! I probably enjoyed the movie more than some, because I can relate to Ben Stiller's character...and I am sure many guys out there can too. It's a light hearted feel good movie, that left me smiling. One of Ben Stiller's best!
20 Just OK Comedy: Likable, But Ben Did Better Than This
Curiously, in 'Along Came Polly' the most unfunny characters are the stars Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. They are likable, and even charming in their own ways, but the good supports -- Bryan Brown, Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymore Hoffman, and Hank Azaria -- are doing much better jobs here.
Still 'Along Came Polly' is no doubt a Ben Stiller film; a hapless guy in a ridiculous situation makes it more ridiculous by misjudge and ill-luck. Ben is a risk assessment analyst, who has married a perfect wife Debra Messing. Of course, things cannot be perfect, for he finds that she is not actually what she looks while on honeymoon.
Back in town, Ben meets Polly (Jennifer Aniston) who was one of his junior high school friends. Unlike Ben Stiller's character, she likes taking risks, unpredictable things, and ethnic dishes (that, as you know, will give several chances for Ben to show some gross-out gags). Can these opposites be in love with each other in spite of their utter differences?
The answer is no surprise (that's OK), but the process to it is no better than that, lacking the chemistry between them. The problem is that for all the charms coming from Aniston, the romance does not look like real at all. The gags sit uncomfortably beside the romantic story, and the sub-plot about the risk assessment about Bryan Brown's character (who looks like the head of Virgin Records) does not work.
I can tell you there are some very funny moments in it -- many thanks to a lovely ferret -- but when an animal steals the show, it is usually a bad sign for humans, at least for Ben and Jennifer. Still Hoffman's ex-child actor, Azaria's 'French' scuba diving instructer, and Baldwin's boss (and his delightful rudeness) is worth watching.
21 "I analyze risk for a living"
After being slightly disappointed by a couple of Ben Stiller movies, like "Zoolander", I was not sure if I wanted to try this one out. But when I saw the trailer in the movie theater, I knew there was no way I was going to miss it. It was a good decision too, since the film is absolutely hilarious. Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston perform their roles in a proficient way, but I was pleasantly surprised by Philip Seymour Hoffman, in his role of Sandy Lee; he steals the movie away from the "big names"!
Reuben (Stiller) analyzes risk in his job at an insurance company and is a complete control freak who is living his life exactly the way he wants to. He is getting married with the perfect girl, his job is going great and he bought the house of his dreams. However, there is a small change of plans when his new wife cheats on him with a French scuba instructor during their honeymoon. Now Reuben is back at his new house, without a wife and his dreams about the perfect family are gone. Therefore, he decides to contact an old friend from school with who he was in love at the time, then...Along Came Polly.
Polly (Aniston) is the complete opposite from Reuben: reckless, emotional and unpredictable. This contrast in personalities creates so many funny scenes throughout the movie, that you will be laughing almost non-stop. For some people however, there may be a couple of gross moments. If you decide not to watch the movie, you at least need to rent the DVD and watch the scene in which Reuben is in the bathroom with Polly's ferret!
I can not say this is the best comedy I have seen lately, but it is still a very good choice if you are looking for a good laugh.
22 Emerging Archetype
OK, there's ridiculous potty humor, a blind ferret running pointlessly into obstacles, and gaps in the believability. Both leads utter relationship stopping comments like "we're just not meant for each other" and cut to the next scene in bed without motivating the transition. I grant all that.
But something is emerging here. For generations the consensus view both in hollywood and on mainstreet was that either true attraction is impossible between the together man and the wild girl, or the gulf too wide to bridge even if it happens. The surprise is that in the final half hour of this movie, the implausible shortcuts disppear and the characters' motivations finally come through. You realize it was plausible all along. It might be plausible for others. It might be plausible for you. At any rate, it will be easier to consider embracing "the Polly effect" because someone, somewhere took it seriously enough to spend big bucks and hire an all star cast, and a lot of people went to see this movie.
I realize that as I've moved through life, I don't take those "relationship stopping comments" as seriously anymore either, sometimes laugh at them, and so does everyone else. This movie just projects the trend out a little farther. And if even a few wild girls find they can like a guy other than a dirtbag loser, and even a few insurance analysts or rocket scientists find they really do have better life odds with an unstructured Polly than their usual morally conflicted too-perfect dames, We just might reverse 2000 years of cultural backsliding on relationships.
After all, Aphrodite the goddess of love was in ancient times married to Hephaestus, who if he were a modern deity we'd call something like the god of engineers and analysts. According to this movie, it can still happen.
23 Along Came Polly: A Brilliant Thesis in Hypochondriasis.
The energy with which ought Reuben, to go into the Titian study of hypochondriasis, is eventually devoted to an entirely different project, absurd in its solemnity: to give up his repulsion to germs, which in the process almost makes him human. His life is slowly transformed into a duel with the illusions emanating from the set, whose superficial images seem to hypnotise him, even to imprison him in a virtual reality.
Aniston's self-assurance and faux-naif approach work to best effect. The film is charming and clever entertainment and is, despite its slight appearance, both substantial and resonant.
And on a more self-indulgent side, when one is not looking to the masterful themes throughout, one can imagine the absurdity of Aniston falling for a character who looks much like a baboon when husband-actor Brad Pitt waits in the wings.
24 Spectacular
Jennifer Aniston shines as oppsite Ben stillers love interrest from Junior High. Great movie. Funny as Sh@t. This is a true classic. Second best to "Meet the Parents".
25 Film for a Rainy Day
On a rainy day, it's mildly amusing to watch a film such as "Along Came Polly". No need to really engage the mind and it's possible to read the Sunday papers at the same time.
The essence of the film is simple. Reuben (Ben Stiller) marries Lisa (Deborah Messing) but their honey moon in St. Barths ends after one day when Lisa is found having sex with her scuba instructor. Reuben returns to New York and then chances upon Polly (Jennifer Aniston). The two are opposites but somehow are drawn together after several mishaps. Lisa does eventually try to reconcile with Reuben but the attempt fails and Polly remains. Reuben and Polly move forward together.
The film is, at best, a light chick flick. If you expect nothing more then you will be satisfied. Simply switch off the brain and go with the flow.
One final point. The setting for part of the film is St. Barths. I once went to this locale and was convinced that the film must have been shot elsewhere. I was right! The credits confirmed the location as Hawaii. Why can't they just use Hawaii as the setting rather than go through some elaborate masquerade?
26 SHE CAME AND SHE DELIVERED!!!
After buying around 4 DVD's that I didn't like buying Along Came Polly was a walk on the thightrope. But no, this movie was excellent! It shows of Rueben (Ben Stiller) who gets married to his perfect "bride" Lisa (Deborah Messing). After their perfect wedding and all they go on a honeymoon, Rueben finds Lisa sleeping with the scuba instructor. After returning home and all the talk behind his back Rueben meets Polly, a quirky, fun sort of character and her blind weasel Rodolfo. This movie with combinations of ethnic foods, loofah sponges, flippers, lies, cheats, show offs, nudists and many more is sure to impress!!! Watch for Ruebens best man and the Morroccon resteraunt scene.
27 So dull....
Ben Stiller maybe in this movie but this is NOTHING LIKE 'There's something about mary' which is great. The movie starts off with Ben stiller (Rueben)getting married to this woman who has s** with another man while on their honeymoon. Yes they divorce immediately and what a surprise 'Along came polly'. There is absolutely NO ON-SCREEN chemistry between Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller + the dull script does not help this film. I got a question for the script writer of this movie: how is a man talking in a french accent funny?!!!?
Note: I recommend 'Our house' (Drew Barrymore, Ben stiller). This movie is better than 'there's something about mary'. It's about a couple who are tricked into buying a home that comes with an old woman who drives them CRAZY. It's so funny.
28 Something About Polly
Actor Ben Stiller has made a career out of playing a hapless schlub, caught up in a whirlwind of troules or the unexpected twists and turns of life. While he is quite good at playing this type of character, I can't help but feel like every time I see him play in a romantic comedy now, it's just variations on what's come before. Ultimately, that's what brings the film down for me...
Reuben Feffer (Stiller) is a man who likes to play it safe. Every aspect of his life is usually carefully planned out.--until his wedding day. His bride Lisa (Debra Messing) dumps him on their honeymoon for a muscle-bound scuba instructor. Stunned, humiliated and in the grip of acute indigestion, Reuben decides to play it safer than ever. But a chance encounter with an adventure-craving, childhood friend named Polly (Jennifer Aniston) shoots him into a dizzying cycle of extreme sports, spicy foods, ferrets, salsa dancing and living in the moment.
Writer/director John Hamburg has given us a tale that feels very familiar, in terms of style, as well as excution. All of the worn out cliches of the genre are present and accounted for. The thing that saves the film for me are certain performances from cast members. Aniston, who, even though Polly could substitute for Mary, as in Something About Mary, gives her the proper spunk and sense of fun. Philip Seymour Hoffman as Sandy Lyle, the obligatory pal of Reuben, who is the complete opposite of him is very good. But most impressive is Alec Baldwin as boss Stan Indursky, who gives the proper smugness acting as a foil for Reuben. These assets aside the all important chemistry of Stiller and Aniston is OK but not as great as it should have been. As I say, Stiller could do this role in sleep. Ho-hum.
The DVD has a fair assortment of bonus material. The audio commentary with Hamburg will connect the dots for you--doing its job. Hamburg returns to comment on alternate openining and a few deleted scenes. This stuff is nothing that would have made the film better or worse. The Making of "Along Came Polly" is your average run of the mill EPK style featurette. Like the aforementioned Mary, Polly has a pet used for laughs, Rodolfo Goes Hollywood is a toungue in cheek featurette about the blind ferrett. A series of "watch 'em once" outtakes and bloopers tops off the disc.
Along Came Polly is watchable for sure...I just wish Stiller wasn't so been there done that (again) in terms of character. It takes the major fun out of things. Some other actor as Rueben may have helped
29 Weak
Weak movie. Kids thought it was boring. Parents too. Not as bad as Starsky & Hutch which was the worst of the worst.
30 Ben and Jen are great
I don't think I laugh so hard in my life. Jen is perfect while Ben is funny. I think they should do more films together because they are wonderful together. I think a lot of people should see this movie and will see how much they will love it.
31 funny - good performances
This is billed as romantic comedy and many ways it delivers. I htink this was maybe meant to be a another "Something about Mary" but it comes up a little short on that score.
Stiller plays Rueben whose honeymoon with Lisa is unexpectedly cut short by Claude the scube instructor hilariously played by Hank Azzaria. Ruebent han meets an old middle school friend - Polly - Played by Jennifer Anniston - the adventurer as different from Ruebens risk-avoiding personality as it is possible to get. Phillip Hoffman was a gross as ususal and was always good for a laugh or a grimace and Reub's friend Sandy.
I'm usually pretty happy with Ben Stiller. He can adjust to whatver type of comedic role he is given and usually makes the character come alive. In this fim, playing a slightly neurotic "play it safe" kind of guy, I maybe just expected a little more from him. The timing was somehow just a little off and the jokes a little out of kilter with the scene. Stiller realy didn't seem as compfortable in the role as he was in Mary or Duplex. This movie probably would have been funnier with Danny DeVito (Duplex) directing. Devito is credited as a producer but he should have gotten more involved in the dailies and fixed the timing problem.
There was also way too much "bathroom" humor for a romantic comedy although the scene with Ben Stiller in Pollys bathroom right after the Moroccan restaurant is priceless.
Also Alec Baldwin was good for a laugh as Reuben's boss who had this aversion to washing his hands after using the restroom and loved touch Reuben. The scene were predictable but funny in their own way.
This was no "Something about Mary" but a decent effort and well worth a watch.
32 Crappy; Great actors
I expected great things from this movie. Jennifer Aniston is an excellent actress (Her performances is "The Good Girl" and "Office Sapce" were spectacular), and Ben Stiller is, at the least, a talented comedic actor, who seems to be going the way of Eddie Murphy (talented comedic actor; starring in garbage movies).
Even so, the only parts of this movie that are any good are the parts that involve Alec Baldwin and Hank Azaria, who are hilarious, in spite of the plot.
The movie itself is incredibly cliched, and the lead characters are thoroughly uninspired, and intensely one-dimensional. If you enjoy laughing at sucky movies, then go for it; otherwise, avoid this one. Honestly, it sucks.
33 Along Came Polly: Come Before Polly Gets Here
Along Came Polly:
Come Before Polly Gets Here
"I can't spend the rest of my life with you. After today our marriage could never work."
Have you ever caught your wife or someone you really care for cheating on you? Well, in this movie Reuben Feffer (Ben Stiller) sure does. It doesn't just happen anywhere, it happens on their alleged `honeymoon in paradise.' What would you do, stick around, go home, or act like it never happened. What would you do?
The greatest reason to watch this movie is the moral of the movie. Live your life to the fullest and take some risk in life and don't let anyone or thing rule your life or the action you take. The moral has a deep meaning and can be really easy to figure out if you pay close attention. In this movie, Reuben wins and almost loses the most important part of his life by not following the moral.
Secondly, I encourage you to watch this movie because of the length of the movie. This movie is all jam, packed excitement. It goes by in a quick time of 91 minutes. That means that not one single bit of unneeded info goes through your head. So your never wasting a second watching this movie.
Unless some other movie has better background music, this movie will always be my favorite movie. In my opinion this movie's background music is the best in existence today. You can hear it good, its up to date, and you can hear the actors perfectly clear. What else do you need? It is all pretty much music, so the fun will never end.
Last but not least, the final reason you need to watch this movie is because of the previous movies by the actor. If you love movies like Dodgeball, Starskey and Hutch, Zoolander, Something About Mary, Duplex and the unforgettable series of Friends than you would love this movie. You would love it because it stars Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston. A one two punch!
Out of all the comedy movies I have ever seen this would have to rank among the best of comedy movies. It has all the qualities, well known actors, funny plot and dialogue, and a well-done job by the actors. If you are 10 years of age and older, I recommend this movie for you. Younger kids than 10 might not be able to figure out the meaning of the movie.
So, like I said in the beginning, what would you do? Would you change your response or stick with your first one. It all depends on what character you have. It all depends on you. It all depends.
34 Enjoyable for a Romantic Comedy
I am not a huge romantic comedy fan, but I saw this at a company movie day and have since purchased the DVD. It is an enjoyable, light-hearted movie with some great laughs. IN particular, Sandy Lyle's basketball scenes are classic, nearly worth the price alone.
The french scuba instructor, Alec Baldwin's character, and Sandy Lyle are all hilarious, and honestly, made the movie as good as it is. The storyline between Mr. Stiller and Ms. Aniston is okay, but you could have inserted nearly any Julia Roberts type into her role and it would have been fine. The movie also provides a few points where your blood will boil over the story between Stiller's character and his fiance, which also helps move the plot along.
The ending is predictable, which is the formulaic romantic comedy ending. Again, this is a good movie for some laughs and for when you want to unwind.
35 Awesome
A must see Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston movie! These characters have made this movie fantastic, with their easy going personalities and comedy. Worth the bucks!
36 Funny, Funny, Movie
This movie is in my top 100 favorite comedys. Has 2 beatiful women in it (Debra Messing and Jennifer Aniston). And it's very funny and entertaining. I recommend to all to see.
37 Another unfunny Stiller film...
It's become more than apparent that seeing a Stiller film is a precarious experience. Sometimes you might get a really cool comedy (Starsky & Hutch) but most of the times you'll be in for some cheap slapstick disaster.
"Along came Polly" is one such calamity, with cheap humor running all through the film and the few moments that draw some genuine intelligent laughs are so scarce that make no difference in the overall result.
When you see a comedy starting off with someone slipping on a waxed floor you simply know that the film is not intended for those with functioning cerebrums. Most of the "jokes" are of such caliber and the punchlines are equally yawning. Stiller is, undoubtedly, naturally funny as a character but this is obviously not nearly enough just as it isnt enough with Jim Carey comedies.
No point in going into the simplistic scenario of the film here (others have done it), just know that if you like smart comedies then this is absolutely not a film you should invest 2 hours in.
If, however, you happen to laugh extremely easily as a person then maybe you should give this a try.
Other than that an utterly forgettable film...
38 Marginal Recommendation!
The film tries desperately to capitalize on the success of "Meet the Parents". I found Ben Stiller character to be annoying and unfunny. Jennifer Anniston was a waste and unbelievable. However, the movie works in places. I liked the supporting cast in this movie. Philip Seymour Hoffman is great as the former child star. He makes the movie work everytime he's on screen. He is hillarious. Alex Baldwin continues to showcase is diverse comedic talent as Stiller's boss. And Hank Azaria is a trip as the scuba instructor. If it wasn't for the support cast, this movie would have gone down in flames. However, it's funny enough to recommend, just marginally.
39 awesome
this movie from ben stiller is pure awesome. and most of the parts from this movie is funny.
40 decent
this movie from ben stiller was decent. so if your looking for a funny movie with a nice cast this one is for you.
41 i really enjoyed it
this is a very enjoyable movie especially if your a fan of ben stiller. so if your a fan of him and likes comedies go see this movie.
42 cheers
this movie deserves very big cheers and claps. since this movie from ben stiller is awesome.
43 great movie
if your expecting ben stiller too be funnier than he was in meet the parents. go see this movie and you will get what you expected.
44 Loved this movie
I absolutely adored and fell in love with Ben Stiller in this movie. The cast and their script were perfect, very funny. I especially enjoyed the dancing. Watch this movie, you will not be dissapointed, you will run out and buy it, if you have not already.
45 Stiller does it again!
This type of movie is purely for the funny. Jennifer Aniston is gorgeous as ususl and Ben Stiller coming from the background that he does is "crazy" funny. There is the usual stick going on and often a joke at the expense of a blind ferret but all in all if you like laughing till your sides hurt, then you will enjoy this movie. Hank Azaria has a small bit part in the movie involving Stiller's new wife played by "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing. I understand that the plot is an age old one about opposites attracted to each other with disaterous results but Ben Stiller is one of the few young comics today that is perfectly cast in this role. At times others would go postal but instead Ben being the good guy that he is even gets a ride to the airport with the man that betrays him while on honeymoon. Jennifer Aniston is a kooky, self-centered nut case that any man would chop off a non-vital limb to spend time with in the setting of this movie. Actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman adds a few great laughs and a memorable line or two as Stiller's best friend, washed up has been child actor. If one were to dig too deep into plot lines, character studies and such then I suppose that a case can be made for what many critics have against a movie such as this, but just have fun, pop some pop-corn and sit back and let the zingers fly in this crazy, mixed-up comedy well played by the cast. If this one dosen't make you laugh then I don't know what to say. I enjoyed it!!!
46 Polly should have kept moving ...away
I like both Stiller and Aniston but saw absolutely no chemistry between them in this blatant attempt to raid the box offfice. If the preview looked funny to you - you saw all that really was funny in this movie. Otherwise, it just plods along and seems to go nowhere without any real laughs or charm. In fact, for a comedy, it is not funny. Hank Azaria has the best bits in a cameo at the beginning and again at the end. Watch it only if you are really bored.
47 ONE OF THE BEST RECENT COMEDIES
The first minute and a half had me laughing like crazy, usualy most comedies come at you slow with a little cheesy humor here and there but along came polly hits the ground running and rarely ever stops. Unlike most comedies whose main character carries the comedy load, along came polly has multiple people to deliver this laugh inducing humor. I would have to say that Phillip Seymor Hoffman is probably the funniest, even though you can't not think that Jack Black probably should have had that role, but still Hoffman pulls it off well. I don't care what anybody says, Jennifer Aniston has some serious talent, she too is hilarious in this movie.Hank Azaria, Alec Baldwin< and Bryan Brown also make this movie an above average comedy, and of course there is the almost always funny Ben Stiller, even though he plays pretty much the same character in all of his movies he is really funny in this role. There is so much funny stuff in this movie you will have to watch it for yourself, but take it from me you will thank yourslef for giving it a try, and if you don't laugh so hard you shart your pants- you got problems.
48 Very Disapointing
I couldn't believe that Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston could ever be this bad in a movie together. Of course it had some cute little funny parts that made you chuckle quietly to yourself, but I saw this movie expecting it to be a hilarious comedy. The movie was long and drawn out and it was extremly predictable. The only thing that could describe this movie would be a HUGE YAWN. This is a good movie to rent for a night when you have nothing else to do. I would strongly advise against buying it.
49 Actually pretty decent
This film had a certain humanity which surprised me. The script was a bit tired, and it is consistently amusing without ever verging on hilarious, but all of the characters (especially a mad Austrailian hedonist businessman) are somehow more relatable than your average romantic comedy cast. It may have something to do with the way that the characters in, say, American Pie or There's Something About Mary suffer so horribly, often because of their own stupidity - which there is some of in this movie, but on the whole they seem more like real people. That is not the stuff of first-class comedy, and Along Came Polly never approaches the class of American Pie or There's Something, but it does have a certain redeeming value because of this that makes it watchable. Never has Ben Stiller's usual hapless character actually seemed so pitiable.
50 WHY BOTHER!!!!
Nope, didn't think it was that funny. Too cutesy. Not a really good movie. Expected more, got less.
51 What were they thinking?
Along Came Polly has to be one of the worst romantic comedies to come out in recent years. The entire script follows a very basic formula. Wife cheats on husband, husband sulks, meets someone new, wife comes back and husband needs to decide who he is meant for. We've seen it a hundred times before and there is nothing unique in this version. The entire film is bland, predictable, and boring. Ben Stiller has made some bad films before, but this is ridiculous. I am most disappointed in Jennifer Aniston, especially after her star-turning performance in 2002's THE GOOD GIRL. I hope for better things from her because if she makes more films like this, her career will go down the drain. A very great cast, which includes the likes of the usually fantastic Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Debra Messing, and the always hilarious Hank Azaria, are utterly wasted. I don't know why they all signed up for this. I can't believe this film even got made. One star for the cast and another for the ferret, which is the only redeeming quality in this mess. Steer clear.
52 a new low for its stars
If Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston cared anything at all for their fans - let alone their own careers - they would move heaven and earth to make sure every single copy of "Along Came Polly" were somehow removed from public display. This pluperfectly awful romantic comedy hits a new low for both these talented performers.
Stiller is a risk-averse insurance adjuster named Reuben Feffer, whose wife dumps him for another man on the first day of their honeymoon. Returning heartbroken to his home in New York City, Reuben runs into a ditzy childhood friend, the alliteratively named Polly Prince (why not just go all the way and call her Polly Princess?), played by a clearly - and understandably - uncomfortable Anniston. In contrast to Reuben, Polly is a risk-taking free spirit who has yet to settle down and devise a plan for her life. Reuben and Polly are supposed to be worlds apart in their personalities and lifestyles, but the characters are so poorly drawn that we really can't see a dime's worth of difference between them. Polly loves spicy Indian food while Reuben spends the evening in the restroom coping with his Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Reuben loves throw pillows while Polly finds them to be a symbol of an anal retentive, fussbudget personality. This is the level on which this opposites-attract theme is played out. I kid you not.
Although "Along Came Polly" is supposed to be a cute and touching romantic comedy, most of the "humor" focuses on disgusting bodily functions. Director John Hamburg's screenplay is stuffed with jokes that would be considered lame and undignified even if they were delivered in a junior high locker room. Yet, here we have an allegedly mature adult being paid big bucks to come up with verbal, visual and auditory gags about flatulence, diarrhea, urination, overflowing toilets and hairy-backed men. How anyone thought this film could have been even remotely funny or romantic is a complete mystery to me.
Stiller and Aniston are not the only performers who fall victim to this film. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Alec Baldwin, and Hank Azaria are also trapped in this mess.
This may not be the worst romantic comedy of recent years, but it is certainly right down there vying for the title. Perhaps if, in the spirit of the enterprise, someone had just taken a dose of Imodium A-D at the first hint of trouble, we might have been spared this bit of cinematic excrescence called "Along Came Polly."
53 Fans of Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston should be pleased
i missed Along Came Polly in theaters, but I did want to see it. I liked writer / director John Hamburg and Ben Stiller's work on Zoolander and Meet The Parents, so it was a film I was eager to see. After seeing it on DVD, I did enjoy it. It was by no means perfect, but it had more highlights than lowlights. It's kind of Something About Mary. You again have Ben Stiller's character attracted to a sweet girl. You again have him tortured in the name of love. You again have twisted humor and a bizarre cast of supporting characters. The main difference is that it isn't quite as mean spirited as Mary
Ben Stiller is generally in top form when he plays the everyman who goes through hell, and that's what he plays here. In fact, his character here isn't that much different than his characters in other films (if it ain't broke, don't fix it, I suppose). The main twist is that his character is a risk analyst who obsessively worries about hazards, germs, etc. It makes him a little more neurotic and a bit more fun. And what's funny is that all the statistics he points out about getting hit by a car, germs in bar nuts, and falling through subway grating are probably true and legitimate concerns, but we all tend to ignore them anyway. It's like his being worried about something makes him more prone to be afflicted by it.
As for Jennifer Aniston, she's pretty good as Polly. She's cute, appropriately scatter brained, and good at inadvertently putting Reuben in awkward situations. However, she doesn't really do anything noteworthy in the film and I think her role could have been played by a lot of different actresses. The supporting characters are a lot more memorable. Philip Seymour Hoffman seems to be channeling Jack Black in his role as Sandy Lyle physical comedy is a large part of his performance. The fact that he's a washed up child star is a funny touch. And the fact that he's in a Hell's Kitchen Community Theater performance of Jesus Christ Superstar makes him all the more pathetic and amusing. Hank Azaria also has a fun cameo as Claude, the French scuba diving instructor that steals Reuben's wife. The accent, the outfit (or lack thereof), and the strange stories make him an amusing addition to the cast. Debra Messing and Alec Baldwin also have brief but fun roles.
One of the funny things about Along Came Polly is the fact that it makes light of awkward moments that we've all been in
As already mentioned, Along Came Polly starts out fun with a lot of unique situations and big laughs. It tends to fizzle towards the end and becomes formulaic, but overall it's a fun movie worth checking out if you haven't seen it. I think there are laughs here for everyone.
54 three star film minus one star from lead actors letdown
Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston have become staples of the Romantic Comedy, but for some reason it wasn't until this year that they have been cast into a movie together. You'd think they'd be great, given their track records of successful box office. Each one is talented in their own right. It should be hilarious, it should be touching...it just wasn't. The reason boils down to (drum roll please): these two have absolutely no chemistry between them. Zero.
The plot's not bad, if a little predictable about halfway through. Ben's a risk assessor whose wife (played by the lovely Debra Messinger) cheated on him during their Hawiaiian honeymoon with the scuba instructor. As a guy who does still have a shred of self respect left, he leaves her there and heads back to his real life to start over again, trying to forget the whole sorry mess. He decides to forget females for a while, using his highly trained job skills to find all sorts of reasons to avoid the dating scene...then along came Polly. Flaky, flighty, laissez faire Polly....and all his carefully constructed reasons go out the door as against his better judgement he falls in love...
There were a few, and I do mean a few laugh out loud moments. Mostly though I sat through the film wondering when Stiller was going to register some emotion aside from a sort of mild bewilderment. He gave his character very little personality outside of an insecure, Woody-Allen like neurosis about cleanliness and playing it safe. It was a complete shock to realize that he must have been feeling an attraction for Polly, because his acting ability certainly hid that fact from the audience until the very end.
Jennifer Anniston was...okay. Her typical role of The Girlfriend done in typical style; cute, warm, vulnerable, but hardly memorable. Enough said.
Although Along Came Polly could have been great, neither lead lent anything remarkable to their characters either separately or together as a couple. This is a true waste, especially when you sense that they were capable of so much more. Not generally recommended.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle.
55 Good nice fun movie
I liked this movie. It's not a great film, but its a pleasant way to spend the evening. The two things that really stuck with me are (1) the soundtrack was excellent (why is there no CD available??? I actually came to Amazon today to buy it!); and (2) Hank Azaria was f-in' ripped! Is he on steroids, or does he write Simpsons episodes with a 50 lb. pen?
56 Disappointing.
This movie pretty much follows the same pattern as "There Is Something about Mary". We've seen it before and we've seen it much better. The attempt to keep it within PG-13 bounds probably hurt, as well. Once you get into R territory, all bets are off, and perhaps then this movie could have gone all out.
The supporting cast is the best thing about the movie. Alec Baldwin and Phillip Seymour Hoffman bring the best parts for this movie. This movie isn't as good as "There Is Something about Mary", not even close. I'd almost put this film into the "chick flick" genre, but it's not bad enough to do this. Although it follows the usual pattern (guy meets girl, they get into a fight, they make up again, the end).
Anyway, if your a fan of Jennifer Aniston, you will appreciate this movie (i guarantee). If you want some good laughs without too much thinking, get this, or better, "There is Something about Mary".
57 This movie sharted!
This movie was a complete waste of my time. There were some funny scenes but I never bought Polly being attracted to Reuben. The funniest scene was the basketball pickup game, with the hairy guy sweating all over Reuben's face, and Philip Seymour Hoffman saying "I sharted" and then walked away funny. I liked Jennifer Aniston, too. I agree with my other half that she reminded me very much of Ellen in her early days. Hank Azaria looks great & has a great rear end, but Along Came Polly is just too stupid most of the time. Skip it.
58 hilarious
Along came Polly is a classic funny film 2 B seen over and over again I laughed about the whole way through my favorite line had to be his friend's "I sharted"
59 HORRIBLE.
This is one of the worst films I've seen recently. It was a complete waste for me to buy the DVD. Sometimes you win, sometimes not. I bought some other DVD's this year because people told me the movies were winners. Kill Bill was a winner, Welcome to Mooseport was a winner...this was a loser and a flop.
Along Came Polly bored me half to death before it was halfway through. The story was dry and predictable, with only one good joke through the whole thing; and that one joke was crude. Unfortunately the person who recommended this to me has a much different taste in movies than I do, and the rest of my audience seemed to agree with me. It was a disappointment and one of those movies you see once, and don't plan on ever seeing again.
60 There's Something About Ben Stiller...
Witness ALONG CAME POLLY (1994), a cute comedy surrounded by scatology.
It's too bad. This is a movie that could have been very good, if not for the desperate plot manipulations, fart jokes, poo jokes, pee jokes and other things that detracted from my enjoyment of what should have been a pleasant "opposites-attract" screwball comedy. But because of the above annoyances, we're left with a hit-and-miss PG-13 version of THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (which I saw just once, several years ago, and really didn't think all that much of it). You know that it's not coincidental that Ben Stiller, the star of that seminal (ouch, maybe I shouldn't have said that) 1998 gross-out comedy, also stars in this film. Why does he always seem to be attracted to projects like this? Probably to maintain his status as Gross-Out Movie King, I guess.
Oh well, in ALONG CAME POLLY, Stiller plays yet another disarming, pathetic yuppie with a weird name. Reuben Feffer marries the Jewish woman of his dreams, Linda Kramer (a throwaway Debra Messing), yet she throws herself at the hunky nudist scuba-diving instructor Claude (Hank Azaria, probably up to his one-hundredth foreign accent by now) on *the first night of their honeymoon*! Catching them en flagrante delicto (boy, I've always wanted to use this delicious Latin term in a movie review!), Reuben's carefully-laid plans (okay, I've gotta stop using expressions like these now) suddenly blow up in his face. Dejected and angry, he comes home alone wondering, how the h*ll could this have happened? You see, good ol' Reubie's a risk analyst for an insurance company, and lives his life purely according to careful and extensive analysis of the risks involved. He carries a laptop around with him that contains a specially-designed algorithmic program that assesses the risk of any given venture, including budding relationships!
When suddenly, as the title says, along comes Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston), a free-spirited girl he used to know in high school, Reuben thinks her sudden appearance is a definite sign that he should go against his better nature and just throw caution to the wind! That leads to a whole bunch of tasteless and not-very-funny scenes like the Mediterranean dinner date that gives Reuben a case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which winds up at Polly's apartment in a very MARY-like scene which involves the ruining of a Prince family heirloom (don't ask).
Apparently John Hamburg, who both directed and wrote the screenplay, couldn't think of enough funny "Dharma & Greg"-type episodes to fill the film's 90 minutes (and play cleverly on the film's basic "opposites attract" theme), so he has to resort to farts, poo and pee in order to illicit laughs. Too bad, because there was real talent available here: Ben Stiller has shown himself to be a hilarious, character-driven comedian throughout his now-approaching-20-year career (wow!), and Jennifer Aniston is extremely funny and likeable in playing the kind of role at which Ellen DeGeneres made a fortune. Australian actor Bryan Brown avails himself very well in the parallel story of a billionaire, risk-taking magnate whom Feffer's company is debating on whether or not to insure. On the other hand, we have the talented chubby actor Philip Seymour Hoffman as Reuben's strangely off-kilter, womanizing best friend Sandy Lyle. He seems kind of out-of-sorts here, and halfway through, I saw why: his role was obviously intended for Jack Black, and there's no questions that Jack Black would have been a funnier---and more believable---Sandy Lyle. We also get a badly-miscast Alec Baldwin trying (and failing miserably) to co-opt a Yiddish-New York accent as Reub's boss Stan Indursky. His role goes absolutely nowhere, much like the majority of this film. Hank Azaria can be very funny in good movies, but what does it say that his most memorable scene is the one that shows his b*tt?
ALONG CAME POLLY isn't an awful film, but I really think that Ben Stiller needs to finally graduate from being Gross-Out Movie King to doing what he always did best: just making us laugh. Even good ol' Ben finally baring his own not-bad-looking b*tt in the final scene doesn't make up for the lack of smart comedy that there should have been in this film.
NOT RECOMMENDED
61 The cast is what makes it work
Along Came Polly does seem like a rip-off to other Ben Stiller movies such as (Meet the Parents and There's Something About Mary). For instance Ben's character isn't honest and lies about things to try and please Polly. Sorta like he lied about things to try and please his father in law to be in Meet the Parents. In There's Something About Mary the dog kept getting hurt and in this it's a ferret that does instead. Plus Stiller humiliates himself on his first date with Polly just like he did with Mary on there for first date. His character is afraid of getting germs just like Bill Murry's character in What About Bob as well. So not much is original but still the actors do manage to get lots of laughs from the un-original material.
Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston don't have that much chemestry but they still are charming in their roles. Everybody says that the supporting characters are what make the movie but I think the whole cast is good. Hank Azeria "I didn't spell it right lol" is funny as a scuba instructor who steals Stiller's wife. Philip Seymour Hoffman who's great in everything "except Twister" steals the show in all his scenes as a has been movie star. Bryan Brown (Cocktail, F/X) is a riot too as a dare devil. Alec Baldwin is funny too as Stiller's boss. So basically I think everyone did fine jobs and that the movie is worth checking out for the cast. Okay you may have seen a lot of it before but you will still laugh.
62 One word to describe this movie: GREAT
I loved this movie and I thought it would be a flop. I watched this movie about 10 times and I know anybody will love this movie (except for dumb critics). This movie is really good and I would tell anyone to see this movie. I love this movie as much as Starsky and Hutch and Phillip Seymour Hoffman is so funny in this movie and he always is in drama movies. The jokes are great, the movie is great, the cast is great, etc. Ben Stiller does it again and does it great. This is just a feel-good movie that makes you laugh. I guarntee you'll love this movie and laugh so hard during the movie. Listen to me: DO NOT listen to the dumb critics who say this is a bad movie, I know the critcs who say it was bad had a good time, they don't want to say that a movie with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston is good (critics are weird). When I lended my copy of the DVD, I was going mad without it because I wanted to watch it again. Everyone I know loved the movie and I know you will too. Look, I thought it was going to be stupid too but I love this movie still after I saw it over 10 times. Listen to me: SEE THIS MOVIE and thank me later.
63 More ammunition for those who don't like Jennifer....
More ammunition for those who don't like Jennifer... That's one of the main consequences of this movie, where she has no chemistry with Stiller at all, and, once again, she is on a secondary role (like in BRUCE ALMIGHTY), and playing once again a slightly "empty brain" woman. I think all the deserved credit she has received by "The Good Girl" are going useles due to movies like this, where she can't hold the audience's interest in her character. Although the Polly character has its name in the title of the movie, this is a Stiller movie from beginning to end.
There are good points, mainly Hank Azaria, but this is definitely a movie to RENT, not to buy at all!
64 Utterly disappointed.....
Man, what a let down movie. I really expected it to be a comedy landmark. With two lead actors such as Stiller and Aniston and an interesting plot idea, one would think this would be a blockbuster hit comedy.
No. Much on the contrary. The movie is contrieved. Also, it?s so short (83 minutes), that it?s clear that everybody involved simply did not know what to do with the material on hands, so they tought "let?s finish it as soon as possible"!
I can imagine Aniston holding his laugh in the scene in the boat featuring the list from the "Riskmaster", a textbook copy from FRIENDS second season episode "The One With The List". Also, I?d like to know how a single woman living on waitress wages can travel around the country (or around the whole world, according to the movie) so easily...Maybe the movie did not show it, but their parents give her some money...
The movie is not a complete waste, because the people on the project are seasoned professionals. Hank Azaria gives a funny performance, the same holding valid for Alec Baldwin. You?ll not feel that you?re watching a turkey. You?ll even have a silly smile on your lips sometimes. But this is not a great movie at all.
65 Not too bad, a fun romantic comedy
Along Came Polly is a romantic comedy written by John Hamburg (Meet the Parents, Zoolander). Ben Stiller plays Reuben Feffers (another odd name for Stiller), an insurance risk analyst who lives life cautiously and safely, often calculating risks and odds associated with relationships and activities. After deciding he has found the woman of his dreams, he marries a girl and they go on their honeymoon. Within the first day, however, events go awry when his wife cheats on him, having an affair with a French scuba instructor (who happens to be a nudist as well). Disillusioned, Feffers begins life anew trying to find a perfect soul mate.
He eventually meets Polly (Jennifer Aniston), who is epitomizes the exact opposite personality as Feffers. She is a free-spirit, doesn't make or keep appointments, lives life spontaneously and in the moment, and doesn't overanalyze anything. Here lies Feffers' dilemma: he wants to live a "risk-free" relationship, but Polly, who has gained his interest, jeopardizes this ideal lifestyle.
Another problem manifests itself when Feffers' cheating wife (I guess they didn't get a divorce) comes back to him pleading for a second chance. From here Stiller wavers back and forth, and most of the plot includes him going out with each and deciding who is best for him.
This could have been less of a movie, but Stiller has an ability to add quirkiness to his characters, humor to moments that may not be otherwise very funny. He personifies the bad-luck individual guy looking for love, and becomes a sympathetic character as a result. His character takes the advice others give him in stride, but ultimately makes his own decisions on love.
Plenty of slapstick humor is in the film; some scenes work, others do not. The "potty" humor was taken a little too far, and the movie could have done fine without much of it. Aniston and Stiller make an otherwise mediocre dialogue funny.
Although this comedy is certainly "far-fetched", it works as a fun romantic comedy. This movie deals with the issue of compatibility and what it takes to find "the one." However, it is light hearted, and doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it more effective.
3 1/2 stars
66 Rain Dance
It was Just Plain ol Funny Just like comedies should be. I loved most of the characters and for Ben Stiller it wasn't too sappy or weird, good flick worth the cost, or a least a rent.
67 You'll CRACK right up
Ben Stiller is funny in anything he does and ALONG CAME POLLY is no exception. This is light, mindless comedy that just makes you forget yourself for a while. I haven't laughed so hard (anyone who as seen this will know what I mean) in many a movie. It's well worth your time.
68 A CUTE LITTLE COMEDY...
If one is a fan of Ben Siller and one enjoyed him in the films, "Zoolander", "Meet the Parents" and "Something About Mary", then one will enjoy this light, fun filled comedy that does not take itself too seriously. It revolves around insurance risk-assessment analyst, Reuben Feffer (Ben Siller), who marries the woman of his dreams, Lisa Kramer (Debra Messing), only to lose her on their honeymoon, when she betrays him with the very buff Claude (Hank Azaria), the scuba diving instructor with a seriously deranged French accent.
Returning home from the honeymoon, alone and forlorn, he runs into an old childhood friend of his, Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston), who has gone from being a math geek to being a totally free spirit. They begin dating, even though they appear to be total opposites. Let the games begin! There are a lot of jokes in the film, often scatological, and sight gags. The path of true love certainly does not seem to run smoothly when one is plagued with irritable bowel syndrome and one's girl-friend is fond of hot, spicy food.
Ben Siller is funny in a hapless, hang dog sort of way. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, as his best friend, Sandy Lyle, also adds to the humor, lowbrow though it be. Hank Azaria is very buff and over the top in the role of the sexy, scuba diving Frenchman, Claude, with the laughable accent. Jennifer Aniston is a terrific in the role of Polly, a total natural, playing it straight and always charming. The rest of the stellar supporting cast, Alec Baldwin, Debra Messing, Bryan Brown, Michelle Lee, and Bob Dishy, all contribute to the success of this comedic effort by writer-director Jerry Hamburg.
69 HIllarious
One of the best movie of Ben Stiller. Highly recommended. Sooooooooooooooo Funnyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. You will all love it guys i tell you.
70 Along Came Polly Review
Stiller and Aniston's pairing is never believable and their chemistry never comes along to rescue the film from its flimsy foundation. It's not like there's a classic comedy hiding behind these crude attempts at humor, but the elements of 'Along Came Polly' otherwise aren't so noxious. 'Along Came Polly' is a hit-and-miss affair with more flat moments than comic onesous. The result is a disappointment, yet it's not something the actors will want to remove from their resumes. Watching these two go at it is almost as uncomfortable as observing the 60-something Woody Allen nuzzling a beauty less than half his age. I recommend renting this movie first before buying it.
71 A typical Ben Stiller film
"Meet the Parents", "Something about Mary", and now "Along Comes Polly". Ole Ben's got this role all wrapped up. This film comes in somewhere in the middle of the 3, thanks to Philip Seymour Hoffman. The guy is so rank. When he sharded in his pants I about lost it, I was laughing so hard. The film doesn't quite work the way it should because Anison's character never convincingly falls for Stiller. In fact it's completely unimaginable. She's fun, daring, beautiful, etc., and he's boring, weak, stiff, and basically a victim of life. Oh well, its a movie and it is what it is. A buy if cheap, and a rent if you're in the mood for something light hearted.
72 Witty movie
This movie was interesting. I laughed the whole way through it. The guy who played Reuban's best man really got on my nerves, and I thought he was way too annoying to have in the movie. But I did like the main character of Reuban. Overall, it was fun to follow and I recommend it if you want to laugh.
73 Oh Yeah!
Hmm... an empty movie staring a bunch of relatively respectable actors (including an incredibly sickly looking phillip seymor hoffman... phillip, i worry for you buddy). This is the sort of thing that appeals to me without raising my hopes for anything truely exceptional. The Perfect Average Movie, really. Like 90% of the world's population the movies i tend to lean towards center or contain romance and comedy, unfortunately 90% of these seem to be embarassingly bad or ham handed. Along Came Polly manages to satisfy my desires without ever involving me, no involvement means no disappointments.
Yes, i would rather watch something as stellar and beautiful as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but almost every movie that has the promise of Eternal Sunshine winds up being crushingly disappointing... After a series of crushing dissapointments it's sometimes nice to play it safe.
74 An average movie
This movie has a great cast and the script was probably hilarious, but the actual movie is extremely average. It has all the right parts from the leading cast of Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller, and the wacky friend played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman to the scuba instructor that steals Stiller's fiance on their honeymoon played by Hank Azaria. All these parts thrown together are amusing but don't elevate the movie like they should.
Ruben and Polly (Stiller and Anniston) are exact opposits. Ruben analyzes risk for a living and Polly is a carefree waitress. The movie plays off this concept to the very end with Ruben falling for Polly in spite of the risks she forces him to take.
The highlight of the movie for me was seeing the beautiful Debra Messing without having to actually watch Will and Grace. And Hank Azaria is fun to watch ouside of his guest shots on friends and doing the voices on the Simpsons.
This movie is worth renting, but not buying. The parts for a great romantic comedy are there, but they just don't add up to anything special.
75 Movie was great!
My husband and I went to see this movie. It was a night out "without the kids", and I really wanted to see a "good" movie. So when this one was the only one available at the right time, we decided to go in, but I was hesitant because I had not heard anything about it. I'm glad I went to see it, because I thought it was hilarious! The best part to me was when he was playing basketball and the opponent's slimy body covered his face. I also thought one of the best parts was him trying to dance salsa. I give this movie 5 stars!
76 Mildly (very mildly) Entertaining
Frankly this is a pretty silly movie and Ben Stiller has definitely made better, like Meet the Parents.
Along Came Polly is a lighthearted romantic comedy, but more in the slapstick fashion that Stiller is known for, than say, the slightly more serious romantic comedy's of Hugh Grant. The movie revolves around the throwing together of an unlikely couple in Stiller's character - a nerdy risk assessment analyst for an insurance company who is very risk adverse, and Polly Prince, played by Jennifer Ansiton, who is a carefree spirit who flits around from place to place.
The movie itself is entertaining enough for a late night with nothing else much to do and does have its charms and funny moments. The bathroom humor and banality of some of the scenes would have been annoying had I not been sitting comfortably at home watching this. Overall it's not that good of a movie and not one of Stiller's best. But it is good for a few laughs.
77 Short and Sweet
Awesome! It's not a die-hard comedy, but still the movie rocks. Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller are great together. (...)
78 Dont Even Bother...
Along Came Polly is a complete waste of time. Like Zoolander, the only funny parts were in the trailer for the film. Don't get me wrong, Ben Stiller was really funny in Meet the Parents, but don't even expect 1/92nd of the laughs. Dont rent it, dont buy it, or you'll be just like me, warning everyone else not to make the same mistake. Take your money, and if you havn't bought Return of the King, do yourself a favor and buy that instead.
79 A Disposable Movie
I call this a disposable movie because it is one of those movies that you watch once but once you've seen it, it's not a movie you will find necessary to re-watch or purchase. It's not a terrible movie, but simply o.k. I think it could have been a lot better if they did away with the bathroom humor. A joke or two is funny, but this movie goes overboard to the point it is nauseating and childish. I found the "SART" scene especially offensive. If this had been toned down, I think the movie would have been much better. I did LOVE the adorable ferret though. For this alone, I give it 4 stars.
80 Where's the chemistry?
I've never written a review of a movie, but this one deserves it. I am a big Ben Stiller fan as well as a fan of Jennifer Anniston (especially Good Girl). I am very disappointed in both of them. This movie will make you laugh...if you enjoy potty humor and old gags...or if you are 10 years old. But there is no intelligent humor here. Most disconcerting is the lack of chemistry between the main characters. No character development whatsoever. Ben and Jennifer's character (I don't even remember their character's names...shows how much of an impact this "film" made on me) never mesh in this movie. We don't know why these two would EVER want to be together.
RENT this movie. I hate the reviews of other people. You need to see it for yourself. Just don't BUY it until you've seen it.
81 Hilarious
This movie is extremely funny that even one of the dullest people I know laughed during it. It is about a guy (Ben Stiller) who analyzes clients for insurance companies, so therefore his work carries over into his daily life and he analyzes every single thing he does. He gets married to a woman (Debra Messing), the sure bet, but on their honeymoon the "sure bet" turns out to be a mistake after he catches her sleeping with her scuba instructor. He returns home and finds an old friend of his from school, Polly (Jennifer Aniston), who does anything but analyze the things she does. These two opposite people begin to see each other and it just turns out hilarious. The ending is great, if you love the typical happy ending of the story. This movie will keep you laughing throughout it's entirty and I recommend it for all to see.
82 Good, But Needed To Flow A Little More
I think this movie had great potential. I think in the director's effort to make this movie "all things to all people" the end result was damaged. Ben Stiller fans will still enjoy it. He has a certain quirky element to his comedy that just makes him an interesting character no matter what role he is playing.
Jennifer Aniston performs well in the film, but I wish her character had been a little more revealing; we learn very little about her past - at least any real specific information. I think her character needed more depth to make the film flow better.
Most of Ben Stiller's films involve him being totally "out of control" of the situation he finds himself in. This is another film that adds to that list. The movie starts off at a fast pace, but somewhere in the middle it slows down too much, and I found myself wondering if it would ever pick back up. I think that is why the scene with the two main characters being tossed around below-deck of a sail boat was included; to try and make the film seem like it had a bit of spunk, long after the spunk had disappeared.
This film is okay, but when you compare it to some of Stiller's other movies (even the recent Dodgeball) it falls a little short.
Ben Stiller fans will probably still get a kick out of a few parts. I found the basketball court scenes to be quite humorous.
See ya next review.
www.therunninggirl.com
83 Awlful
This may be the worst movie in the history of the world. Bring it on was better than this. I am sorry but this movie stunk. Extremely boring and anoyying.
84 lat out funny
i'm not a chick flick man per say but i loved this movie because it made me laugh out loud and it was sweet without being sentimental. phillip seymour hoffman in another great role.
85 horrible
This movie is so gross and distasteful, I had to give up on it after the first 20 minutes. Stupidity really has no limits if the "creators" of this garbage expect us to swallow it.
86 Fun movie for him and her
Along Came Polly is nothing we really haven't seen before.
That being said, I loved this movie. I cracked up laughing in a lot of parts. Alec Baldwin played one of his best parts ever "Good Times!". Aniston plays the 'sweet girl I wish I could find one day' part that she is so well at doing. I like Anistons acting and I dont care that critics don't. Well..they did in The Good Girl, but I HATED her character in that movie...but whatever..back to this movie (sorry..heh). Stiller seemed like he was playing his 'Meet the Parents' Focker role again. I aint griping...cause what works works. Sharted has to be one the best words ever!
87 It wasn't that bad, but the morality was awful.
It ran down the life f marriage. The end was like "I don't want to get married again because it was too painful..." and then his friends were telling him "get over it" TWO WEEKS AFTER THE DIVORCE!!!!
88 Hilarius
The Movie was Great Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston Were GREAT I LOVE THIS MOVIE.It's like Great
89 NOT a comedy, more of a drama, not very good either way.
I had been looking forward to this one. I figured it'd be pretty funny. I was wrong. This movie is not very funny at all. Sure, there's a couple of funny parts, but they were all in the commercials. It's definitely more of a drama. I got the impression from the commercials that Ben Stiller was kind of a neat freak hypochondriac, who befriends Polly in order to break those beliefs, but that's not really what happens. Newly married stiller breaks up with his wife, cause she cheats on him, and then he happens to run into polly, whom he knew from way back in junior high. She's attractive, of course, so he wants to go out with her. Well, turns out she's nothing like him at all, so in order for him to be with her, he does a lot of things he wouldn't normally do but tries to act like it doesn't bother him, when it really does. They're very opposite kind of people, and this is kind of an opposites attract kind of show. Then his wife shows up and wants to get back together. Which will he choose, oh the suspense is killing us, yeah right. This movie was crap. Duplex was so much better...
90 Along Came One of The Worst Romantic Comedies I've Ever Seen
After persuading one of my guy friends that this movie would be worth seeing, (okay, so I dragged him kicking and screaming into the theater with the untrue promise that someone in the movie would be naked), the two of us got our tickets and settled in. I couldn't wait to see this movie ever since I first heard about it. After all, I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, and I love Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston.
However, I have to say I was very much disappointed. I couldn't put my finger on why I disliked the movie so much until the next day. It came to this main issue: Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller have absolutely NO on-screen charisma. None whatsoever. I hate to say it, but it seemed to be Jennifer's fault, because Ben Stiller DID come across somewhat convincingly in his role. The two of them together though had about as much charisma as two bumps on a log. Yes, it was that bad.
A quick rundown of the plot: Ben Stiller plays Reuben Feffer, a man with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a job in Risk Assessment, and a stable plan for his life and future. He had just gotten married to the woman of his dreams when the first bomb drops - his wife dumps him for the nudist scuba diver instructor. Reuben makes his way home with his tail between his legs and goes about his life amongst the whispers and constant pitying comments of his coworkers, family and friends. Then he meets Polly (Jennifer Aniston), a girl he knew back in school. Of course, you guessed it - Reuben decides he might be able to try his hand at love again. Except everything seems to go wrong. Polly is a totally unusual, hates-to-commit and laid back woman, while Reuben is a conservative, high-stress type of guy that doesn't take any uncalculated risks. Will they be able to make it as a couple? Will their two very different personalities at least clash into an exciting mix? At the same time, Reuben's friend Sandy Lyle (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) is stirring things up by being under the mistaken impression that he is a childhood star that can do anything he wants. Including taking two leading roles in a play he is acting in. Throw in the usual over-bearing and nosy parents, a few embarrassing Ben Stiller scenes, a few flashes of Jennifer Aniston's perfect figure, and you have yourself the ingredients of "Along Came Polly".
This plot would normally make for a very steamy and suspenseful movie; however, as I mentioned above, the sparks and excitement were missing completely. Polly came across as an unfeeling, ridiculous and selfish person; Reuben would have bored even the most devoted Ben Stiller fans to tears had it not been for the requisite bathroom scene. (What is up with these embarrassing bathroom scenes in these type of movies?) Philip Hoffman, sad to say, was extremely hard to look at because he just looked really bad! Did anyone else think that? He is a great actor and came across convincingly, but he looked just awful.
So there you have it: no onscreen sparks or believability whatsoever; a much-recycled plot with only a few moments of nearly forced laughter; and so little suspense that I could have foretold the entire plot with 20 minutes of the movie starting. (Actually, before it started). Am I recommending this movie? Yes, as a matter of fact, to those of you out there who are looking to torture yourself or a date or friend for a couple of hours in a movie theater. Or perhaps someone with insomnia. A word of advice - if someone is insisting on dragging you to the theater to see this, make sure to guzzle down a few alcoholic drinks at the very least.
Overall, I was very disappointed in the movie. I will definitely hesitate the next time I am contemplating going to see Jennifer Aniston in a movie.
91 A very disappointing romantic comedy given the great cast
It would be easy to say that "Along Came Polly" is yet another movie where pretty much all the good parts are in the trailer, but this film has more serious problems that account for it being one of the more disappointing romantic comedies to come along in a while. You look at the cast with Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Alec Baldwin, and Hank Azaria and you have to have expectations of a decent film, but this 2004 comedy really falls short.
As you know from the trailer, Stiller's character is a risk-accessor named Reuben Feiffer who has problems with keeping clean in a sweat, germ infested world. Actually, the character is not as pathological as he appears in the trailer because he also has Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is a legitimate concern and a good reason not to eat spicy North African food. Aniston is Polly Prince, a free spirit, who went to middle school (or junior high) with Reuben way back when and when they meet again he decides that asking her out on a date would be just the thing to get him out of the dumps. You see, the movie opens with Reuben getting married to the girl of his dreams (and computer analysis), Lisa (Debra Messing) but the honeymoon hits a major speed bump within 48 hours.
This is certainly a good year for ferrets this year, relatively speaking, with the blind ferret in this film and the dead ferrets that Hermoine feeds to the hippogryph in the new Harry Potter movie. But at least the blind ferret has an excuse for the action of his character, which is something that is missing on Polly's part. We understand why Reuben likes Polly. She is cute and likes salsa dancing. But why Polly like Reuben is never really explained, although a friend thinks that pity is a principle component. There needs to be more going on besides being the stars of the picture to justify the romance and more than an ability to mentally count to fifty under the right circumstances. Reuben's big moment in which he surprises Polly is not going to provide retroactive justification for her interest.
Writer-director John Hamburg could fix things so that there was some reason for the relationship, but his primary objective in this film is to do things to Ben Stiller (who gets bonus points along with Hank Azaria for their buffed body work). Meanwhile he has Jennifer Aniston running around and apparently has no significant ideas as to what do with her so that the romantic part of the film's equation is within sight of the comedy part. The woman can do more than stand there and look cute but apparently nobody making movies in Hollywood has been able to come up with a major league idea for using her talents. Aniston was pretty good in "The Good Girl," and has some nice moments in "Rock Star" and "Bruce Almighty," not to mention "The Iron Giant," but we are still waiting for somebody to come up with a really great romantic comedy that focuses on her as the lead character.
The final sign that "Along Came Polly" has bit time problems is when the most tender moment in the film comes between Reuben and his best friend, the forgetten child actor and bagpipe player, Sandy Lyle (Hoffman). For that matter, when Reuben's father (Bob Dishy) suddenly breaks his silence to offer sage advice, why on earth does he not give it to his son? Just like too many parts of this movie, it is close but no cigar. The idea of a guy afraid to take risks who falls for a girl who is unwilling to commit is a solid enough idea (it has worked before), but it requires the romance to be as important as the comedy, and Hamburg is out of his depth in that half of the equation.
92 Along Came Polly
Along Came Polly has a cast to die for but the lead characters relationship is to hard to believe and the nasty humor is annoying and not extremely funny.This movie wasn't completely terrible but it was kind of a waste of time.The acting is pretty good.The dialogue mostly consists of raunchy humor or potty jokes.The The characters are likeable though.Overall, though, the plot just isn't strong enough for a rememorable and fun movie.If you like the cast then you will want to see this, but trust me it is just a little less than average when it comes to these kind of movies.This is pretty much a regular example of John Hamburg material.Only watch if you have time.Reuben, an overanxious insurance risk analyst (Stiller), weighs his every action by assessing pros and cons. He finds himself dumped on his honeymoon by fickle wife Lisa (Debra Messing) who runs off with Jacques, a nudist scuba instructor (Hank Azaria). A few days later, Reuben is back in New York at a pretentious gallery opening, wondering why he's bothering to test the waters so soon, when along comes Polly Price (Jennifer Aniston), a quirky, worldly, adventurous soul, whose only flaw appears to be a generalized lack of commitment. The formerly germ-obsessed, controlling Reuben is transformed by Polly's free spirit, her predilection for spicy food, and her pet ferret. Her love of salsa dancing makes him jealous and painfully uncomfortable. But his heart is aflame.
"Stiller and Aniston are trapped in the constrictive material, trying to make the best of a crummy, formulaic situation. "
-- Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR
93 Along Came Polly
Along Came Polly has a cast to die for but the lead characters relationship is to hard to believe and the nasty humor is annoying and not extremely funny.This movie wasn't completely terrible but it was kind of a waste of time.The acting is pretty good.The dialogue mostly consists of raunchy humor or potty jokes.The The characters are likeable though.Overall, though, the plot just isn't strong enough for a rememorable and fun movie.If you like the cast then you will want to see this, but trust me it is just a little less than average when it comes to these kind of movies.This is pretty much a regular example of John Hamburg material.Only watch if you have time.Reuben, an overanxious insurance risk analyst (Stiller), weighs his every action by assessing pros and cons. He finds himself dumped on his honeymoon by fickle wife Lisa (Debra Messing) who runs off with Jacques, a nudist scuba instructor (Hank Azaria). A few days later, Reuben is back in New York at a pretentious gallery opening, wondering why he's bothering to test the waters so soon, when along comes Polly Price (Jennifer Aniston), a quirky, worldly, adventurous soul, whose only flaw appears to be a generalized lack of commitment. The formerly germ-obsessed, controlling Reuben is transformed by Polly's free spirit, her predilection for spicy food, and her pet ferret. Her love of salsa dancing makes him jealous and painfully uncomfortable. But his heart is aflame.
"Stiller and Aniston are trapped in the constrictive material, trying to make the best of a crummy, formulaic situation. "
-- Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR
94 The other Ben & Jen
Along Came Polly does try desperately to be a top of the range rom-com movie. Unfortunately, these rom-coms all have the same format, and are all beginning to look just slightly tired. But this was still slightly above average, because it had Jennifer Aniston. I'm sorry, but Ben Stiller reminds me a lot of a less funny Jim Carrey, and a less annoying Adam Sandler.
To think, when Jen was filming this, she was also filming Friends AND Bruce Almighty at the same time. And then she would go home to Brad Pitt. I'm not jealous, I'm one of very few women who actually doesn't think he's THAT nice looking. I'll get flamed for saying I've seen better!
Along Came Polly has everything. Toilet humour, blind ferrets, a homosexual love interest (could I be talking about Alex Baldwin?!), ex-wives who run off with Hank Azaria - I mean, what more could you ask for from a film?
Hank Azaria is the best part of this. Plus, the fact that he's very easy on the eye while he's running about wearing little more than a smile most of the time helped! I don't know why this guy insists on doing so much voice work on The Simpsons etc, when he's got a body like that hidden away!
There's various rip-offs of other movies, the most prominent ones being the toilet scene featuring Ben, is exactly the same as the one in Dumb & Dumber, only not as funny, and not as loud. Also, there's a scene where Ben's character makes a list about Jen & his ex wife's plus and negative points. Hmmm - Friends anyone?! Ross making a list about Rachel & Julie?! Season 2?!
The extras are pretty average. You've got a rather pointless feature, with the 'star' of the movie, the blind ferret. There are also deleted scenes, outtakes, and not much else. Apart from cast & crew.
Overall, it's still a good movie. I'll probably always watch these movies, to see if there's ever going to be anything different. But Hank Azaria gets top marks!
95 Here Comes Ben Again!
These days, it's almost impossible not to come across Ben Stiller's movie. Some of the movies he starred in were duds such as the forgettable Zoolander. However, he redeemed himself in Meet the Parents, There's Something About Mary, The Royal Tennabaum. Whereas Adam Sandler was the sort of character that lived on the edge & quite overbearing sometimes, Ben Stiller always played the stereotype victim characters that we would vouch for. It's commendable that he would do magic to lacklustre scripts. Despite that Along Came Polly was a predictable movie, Ben Stiller & Jennifer Aniston pulled the movie through. They simply shined. Ain't that amazing they could make a mediocre movie enjoyable to watch? Perhaps, people undermined the depth of these comedians but in actuality, Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston have had depths. Not forgetting to mention the wonderful Debra Messing (Grace from "Will & Grace"), the memorable Hank Azaria ("Abu" from the Simpsons) with his hilarious French accent, Hoffman (from "Drunk Punch Love", "Boogie Night", "Talented Mr Ripley"), Bryan Brown (playing an Aussie!), Alec Baldwin (trying to be funny (?)) . This movie is patchy but amusing to watch. Not entirely forgettable but if you were a fan of Ben Stiller, don't miss this one!
96 "Along Came... an Average Movie"
"Along Came Polly" is a generic comedy with a couple of great scenes. I'm talking about the Chewbacca basketball player, the salsa dance, the racquetball game, and every scene with Sandy Lyle (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Those are the highlights of the film. There's no chemistry between Reuben Feffer (Ben Stiller) and Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston), the two characters who fall in love after Feffer's wife cheats on him during their honeymoon. Even the bathroom humor is tasteless, except for the "SHART" line. That was hilarious. Indeed, the movie has big laughs, but most of the jokes are forced. I think it's only average.
97 Amusing fun movie
It wasn't one of the greatest romantic comedies I've seen, but it was also a good show. It's a give or take, but I would recommend it to those that are a fan of either Jennifer Aniston or Ben Stiller. Some gags are not really that funny, though amusing to watch and unfold in the story. If you haven't seen it, get a used one. It's not a movie that is a waste of time, though I don't think it's a MUST SEE.
98 Two funny-ish scenes. Not much else.
Ben Stiller can be very funny in a hapless sort of way, and Jennifer Aniston could become a fine comedian at some point. That said, there's not much to this little bit of fluff. The story about very mismatched people who meet and fall in love is not convincing for a moment. The movie feels like a rerun of something I've seen a number of times in slightly different formats and with different actors du jour. Appropriate for pre-teen girls. I'd feel ripped off if I paid $10 to see it in the theaters.
99 Positively painful
This was a horrible movie and after a while, I just couldn't force myself to watch anymore. Unconvincing acting, weak story line and worst of all, unending junior-high humor, prominently featuring bodily functions. Not worth the time or the money to watch.
100 Nothing Great !!
It's the typical story of guy meet girl !! I was expecting it to have something different, however the movie failed to deliver anything exceptional.
I somehow find it amazing to see how some people still continue make movies on the same story lines, and to cap it off, such movies still manage to rake in good revenue at the box office.
It's okay to watch just once.
