As the cold month of February is upon us, it is a tradition in some circles to warm ourselves up with cheery romantic comedies. In the recent lineup of such movies, "Over Her Dead Body," Jeff Lowell's first foray as a director, is one that is not worth leaving the comfort of your room to see.
The movie is set in sunny California and asks the age-old question: What happens to us after we're dead? It begins when Kate (played by Eva Longoria Parker), who is very much a bridezilla, decides that since the ice-sculpted angel that was ordered for her wedding does not have wings, they have to take it back.
That decision proves fatal as the wingless angel crushes her to death.
She is then transported to a place that is neither hell nor heaven. When an angel, who, as it happens, is wingless, tries to explain what is happening to Kate, she demands to go back to her wedding and to her beloved fiancé Henry (Paul Rudd). The angel is frustrated by Kate and leaves her on her own.
A year later, Henry has still not moved on. His grief distresses his sister Chloe (Lindsay Sloane) who takes him to a psychic, Ashley (Lake Bell). Chloe decides that Ashley can make up a few things here and there and gives her Kate's diary. While Ashley is deceitfully helping Henry, she can't help but fall in love with him.
When Kate sees this, she thinks that she is still wandering the streets of California in order to protect Henry. Hilarity supposedly ensues as Kate and Ashley battle for Henry's heart.
Creating a successful romantic comedy is always tricky as audiences already know how the story ends and that true love will ultimately persevere. To keep the audience interested, there has to be a catch or twist or something that will draw people in. Big-name actors can sometimes fill the void, but in this case, the heroines are not very appealing. Bell, who has a lot of TV experience with such shows as "Boston Legal" (2004) and "The Practice," (1997) fails to captivate audiences. Her acting is dull, and the script that she has to work with is even duller.
Eva Longoria Parker, best known for her role on "Desperate Housewives," does not shine in this role. Her acting is so reminiscent of her role on TV that, if it were not for the set change, one would think "Over Her Dead Body" was actually "Desperate Housewives." Paul Rudd provides some much-needed comedy, delivering his lines in his usual deadpan manner. Yet Rudd has played this role so many times before that even he seems bored while reciting his lines.
The movie is not without merits, however. The supporting actors make "Over Her Dead Body" somewhat lively. Dan (Jason Biggs), Ashley's gay best friend, has many loveable antics up his sleeve, and Sloane, as Henry's sister, has advanced her acting skills from her days on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."
Stephen Root, perhaps most remembered for his role as Milton in "Office Space" (1999), appears here and there, ultimately saving the movie from being a complete failure.
Jeff Lowell, writer and director of "Over Her Dead Body," failed to make a spectacular directorial debut. Lowell, whose past projects include "John Tucker Must Die" (2006) seems lost in his latest venture.
The trailer contains almost every comedic scene in the film. Unless you have an obsession with one of the actors, the movie itself is just not worth it.
In the end, "Over Her Dead Body" is just a movie to watch on TV when you have nowhere to go and nothing better to do.
So if you thought this would be an appropriate Valentine's Day date movie, think again.