Guess Who

Something isn't right in the world. Maybe this is the 7th sign, or maybe the
apocalypse came and went and our minds were too numb to notice. How is it 
possible that I enjoyed a movie starring Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher? What
the hell? Don't get me wrong, I can handle Bernie Mac in some cases, in the
"Ocean's" movies he was great in his very very small role. But Ashton Kutcher? 
What's wrong with me? 

The story is old, It is of course based on the Spencer Tracy (said with a 
Graham Chapman lisp) / Katharine Hepburn comedy Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, 
and doesnŐ' really stray much from that path. I'm not all that big on 
tension-based comedies, be it sexual or racial or whatever. This movie has a
lot of both but it works on the premise that if it throws enough one-liners as
you eventually something is going to get through -- and some do! "Dad, Teresa's
boyfriend is white!" -- "I know!" -- "I know you do daddy, I just wanted to 
see your face when you heard it again."

Simon Green (Kutcher) is a successful up-and-coming but unemployed businessman.
He happens to be dating, and is in fact engaged to, a lovely young photographer
named Teresa. They are going back to Jersey (Simon - "What am I doing in 
Jersey?!") for the weekend so that Simon can meet her parents. Teresa's dad,
Percy (Mac), takes an instant dislike to the scrawny little white boy and they
both proceed to torture each other for the rest of the weekend. And that is the
key to enjoying this film! The story is tired; nothing really interesting is
going on. But if you sit back a little and watch the subtle fencing match 
between Kutcher and Mac you'll see two people who are masters at getting on
people's nerves, going at it, all out. 

In its pinnacle scene the guys are "bonding" after both being ditched by their
respective ladies. Simon and Percy do the tango. The tango is a structured 
dance, but each dancer has room to shine, room for variation and improvisation.
There's a struggle for dominance at first, the dancers trade barbs, try to 
out-do each other, but soon they figure out who's leading and who's following
and in the end of course, there's the big dramatic dip. Which pretty much sums
up the film. 

One again, I've fallen victim to the formula of the light romantic comedy. 
This one is a lot heavier on the comedy than most, but I'd suggest you save 
yourself the pain and avoid seeing this movie so that you won't have to live
the rest of your life sheepishly admitting that you too enjoyed a movie 
starring Ashton Kutcher.

Starring: Bernie Mac, Ashton Kutcher
Directed By: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Rated: PG-13
Guess Who opens Friday March 25th

Dave can be reached at dkerr@detroitbuzz.com