Are we living in a post-Bridesmaids
world? While it wasn't a wholly new concept, Bridesmaids did become a benchmark for female-centric comedies in
current cinema. The girls could be just as raunchy as the guys and the plot
didn't have to entirely revolve around a woman's search for Mr. Right. For a Good Time, Call… is one of several
movies that have been compared unfavorably to Bridesmaids, despite going into production before its release.
Lauren Powell (Lauren Miller) is a young professional woman
who hits a sudden rough patch when she loses her job and gets dumped by her
boyfriend for being boring. She's asked to move out of their apartment, but
cannot afford a place of her own. Her gay best friend, Jesse (Justin Long), points
Lauren in the direction of Katie Steel (Ari Graynor), who is behind on rent for
her ritzy flat following the death of her grandmother. Lauren and Katie are
actually old college acquaintances, except the latter got drunk and poor Lauren
ended up with a face full of urine. Needless to say, she is not happy about the
situation.
Things get weirder when Lauren discovers Katie makes most of
her money as a phone sex operator. Unable to find a decent job, Lauren
reluctantly serves as Katie's assistant and routing her calls. After a crash
course in dirty talk, Lauren becomes a second operator and finds she actually
enjoys the work. Meanwhile, Katie warily drops her guard for a romance with a
frequent caller named Sean (Mark Webber).
Lauren Miller not only starred in the film, but also
co-wrote the screenplay with Katie Anne Naylon, a former college roommate who
really did work as a phone sex operator. Is phone sex still something people
pay for, especially with the wealth of pornography on the internet? Or so I have
heard. Considering the subject matter, For
a Good Time, Call… could have easily been set in the 80's and it does have
a retro tone mixed with a filthy mind. All too often, Miller and Naylon go for
the easy jokes involving bodily fluids.
However, what really sells For a Good Time isn't the sex or the filth, but the friendship
between the female protagonists. If I
Love You, Man was all about the bro-mance, this is all about the
girl-mance. The two leads have great chemistry together. While Miller is perky
enough in her role, it is Ari Graynor who finally gets a chance to shine. She's
displayed her comedic talents via smaller roles in films like Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, Whip It, and Celeste and Jesse Forever. She gets to run a gamut of emotions here
from her unique line readings and physical humor to selling her sweet-natured
relationships with Lauren and Sean. Where For
a Good Time fails is in its adherence to formula with Lauren as the uptight
conservative who has to learn to let her hair down. There's also a second act
break-up of their friendship that feels contrived simply to lead into the
climatic reconciliation.
The supporting cast is great with Don McManus and Mimi
Rogers as Lauren's parents, Nia Vardalos as a prospective employer, and cameos
by Ken Marino, Kevin Smith, and Miller's husband, Seth Rogen, as phone sex
customers.
For a Good Time, Call…
is an R-rated twist on the Odd Couple
concept. Most of the humor falls flat and the film never delves too deeply into
its characters. However, it's energetic pace and breezy runtime might make it
worthy of a rental.
Rating: ** (*****)
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