Blind ferrets, IBS, base-jumping ... "Along Came Polly" is one of those situational humor comedies that takes a basic romantic comedy plot and surrounds it with the bizarre whether it's ridiculous situations or zany characters. Creator John Hamburg takes two likely comedy protagonists -- a risk-assessing neurotic type (Ben Stiller) and the free-spirited unpredictable type (Jennifer Aniston) who come together after Stiller's character's wife cheats on their honeymoon -- and puts them in outrageous situations and dealing with strange characters to amp up the humor. It's hit or miss, but the creative thought behind it keeps it laudable and interesting.
These are two characters that Stiller and Aniston have proved more than capable of playing. As their unlikely relationship unfolds, it's more about how they handle the more extreme characters and situations. Philip Seymour Hoffman, for example, is Stiller's best friend is an "actor" who still tries to pretend as if a movie he did years ago gives him an excuse to be arrogant. Hank Azaria plays a french nudist scuba instructor as only he -- master of accents -- can. Alec Baldwin even plays the unethical, awkwardly buddy-buddy boss of Stiller's character. It's not so much Stiller's ability to do comedy as it is for him to react to these actors doing great character work.
The situational comedy is also incredibly diverse and wildly unpredictable: whether it's the first date where Stiller's IBS kicks in after eating spicy food and he can't discretely use the restroom or the scene when he and Aniston get in a fight while on a sailboat plunging through a storm so that the entire scene they're getting thrown around the set. Nothing is that incredibly funny, but it's all about unique situations that you haven't seen in movies before that amuse you as you follow the story.
"Polly" is not refreshing or innovative, but it's creative takes using traditional comedy techniques and its killer supporting cast keep it very entertaining. You don't really care if Stiller and Aniston stay together in the end, you're more interested in what the other characters are going to say/do/influence them along the way.
These are two characters that Stiller and Aniston have proved more than capable of playing. As their unlikely relationship unfolds, it's more about how they handle the more extreme characters and situations. Philip Seymour Hoffman, for example, is Stiller's best friend is an "actor" who still tries to pretend as if a movie he did years ago gives him an excuse to be arrogant. Hank Azaria plays a french nudist scuba instructor as only he -- master of accents -- can. Alec Baldwin even plays the unethical, awkwardly buddy-buddy boss of Stiller's character. It's not so much Stiller's ability to do comedy as it is for him to react to these actors doing great character work.
The situational comedy is also incredibly diverse and wildly unpredictable: whether it's the first date where Stiller's IBS kicks in after eating spicy food and he can't discretely use the restroom or the scene when he and Aniston get in a fight while on a sailboat plunging through a storm so that the entire scene they're getting thrown around the set. Nothing is that incredibly funny, but it's all about unique situations that you haven't seen in movies before that amuse you as you follow the story.
"Polly" is not refreshing or innovative, but it's creative takes using traditional comedy techniques and its killer supporting cast keep it very entertaining. You don't really care if Stiller and Aniston stay together in the end, you're more interested in what the other characters are going to say/do/influence them along the way.