Along Came Polly falls short of expectations

Writer/Director John Hamburg (Meet the Parents, Zoolander) was seemingly at a loss for new material when he created his new star-studded blockbuster, Along Came Polly. Although he stayed true to his promising Ben Stiller allegiance, Hamburg came up short of expectations as Polly is only a disappointing m?©lange of his previous work.

While the film is entertaining, the unlikely and yet somehow predictable plot is forced to rely on overplayed slapstick moves that lost their novelty after Meet the Parents.

Polly tells the story of an anal retentive risk analyst who calculates his every move. Reuben Feffer's (Ben Stiller) obsession with having a plan is severely shaken when he discovers his new bride (Debra Messing) literally rocking the boat with a French nudist scuba instructor (Hank Azaria) on the first day of their honeymoon.

Forced to return home with his head bowed, Reuben is attempting to get his life back on track when he runs into his junior-high classmate and polar opposite; Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston). Believing "in a little thing called destiny," Reuben is sure that he ran into Polly for a reason and boldly (or rather not so boldly) decides to ask her out on a date.

Reuben is forced to reevaluate his conservative ways as he is rather clumsily introduced to a world of spicy foods, underground salsa clubs, unwashed hands, spontaneity, and near-blind pets. While it seems more than unlikely that a beautiful adventurous girl such as Polly would give a severely neurotic insurance analyst the time of day, the film counts on the old adage, "opposites attract."

Stiller plays a mixture of his previous roles -- a conglomeration which includes characteristics from There's Something about Mary, Meet the Parents,Keeping the Faith, and even Zoolander, when he performs his own spastic interpretation of salsa. His reliable comedic timing leaves the audience empathizing with his humiliation as we long to see his socially awkward character get something (anything!) right.

It seems that Stiller's characters can never catch a break. While poop fiascos, profuse sweating, and some very stalker-esque wooing tactics can be amusing for a time, eventually the audience tires of covering their eyes in embarrassment and just wonders when it will all come to an end.

Aniston is a perfect pick for the disorganized Bohemian, Polly. Her disarming charm and candid delivery serve as a perfect contrast to Stiller's aptly stifled and rigid neuroses. Her talent is hardly tapped, however, as a shallow script demands nothing more from her than a bubbly quip and sweetly blameless smile.

With predictable stars, the real laughs in Polly come from a strong and hilariously farcical cast of supporting actors. Hank Azaria's performance as Claude, the French nudist scuba instructor, is a perfect example of his wonderful ability to transform into any character. After blatantly stealing Reuben's wife, he compassionately tries to explain to Reuben why these things happen as he emphatically compares himself to a confused hippo-pot-a-moose.

Alec Baldwin is excellent as Reuben's inappropriately outspoken boss, Stan. Philip Seymour Hoffman's plays Reuben's best friend Sandy Lyle, an outdated teenage star. While his performance is sometimes overly vulgar, it puts the characters' expectations and fixations on what should be into a welcome perspective. Other supporting actors include Debra Messing as Reuben's irritatingly perfect bride and a show stealing appearance by Polly's near-blind ferret, Rudolpho.

In short, if you're looking for a few mindless and shallow laughs, Along Came Polly is the film to see. However, with several "been there, done that" moments, a shallow storyline, and a few too many comedic attempts that take it too far, stick to the Stiller classics, Meet the Parents and Zoolander.