Date Movie

Last updated

Date Movie
Date movie.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Aaron Seltzer
Written by
  • Jason Friedberg
  • Aaron Seltzer
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Shawn Maurer
Edited by Paul Hirsch
Music by David Kitay
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • February 17, 2006 (2006-02-17)
Running time
83 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million [2]
Box office$84.8 million [2]

Date Movie is a 2006 American romantic comedy parody film written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, directed by Seltzer, and produced by Paul Schiff and Friedberg. It was released on February 17, 2006 by 20th Century Fox and stars Alyson Hannigan, Adam Campbell, Sophie Monk, Tony Cox, Jennifer Coolidge, Eddie Griffin, and Fred Willard. It is a parody of the romantic comedy film genre, and mostly references My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Meet the Fockers , Hitch , Legally Blonde , and Bridget Jones's Diary . Though reviews for it were more positive than Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer's later films, Date Movie was panned by critics but was a box office success, grossing almost $85 million on a $20 million budget. [2]

Contents

Plot

Obese Julia Jones dreams of marrying Napoleon Dynamite, but even in her dreams, she is rejected. Writing in her diary, she thinks she will never find her true love. Julia goes outside and dances to impress men on the streets, but is unsuccessful.

At Julia's father Frank's Greek diner, she meets and is instantly attracted to Grant Funkyerdoder. Frank barks an order at her and when she turns to respond she accidentally hits Grant over the head with a coffee pot, knocking him to the floor. She turns around, finding his table suddenly empty and figures he ran away.

Julia seeks help from the love therapist Hitch, who initially rejects her but finally agrees, taking her to a garage where she gets "pimped out" and made slimmer. She earns a spot on a reality television dating show called The Extreme Bachelor: Desperate Edition , where the bachelor turns out to be Grant. Host Ty Andrews introduces him, who greets all the women and is asked to eliminate the losers, which he does by shooting them one by one.

As the last woman standing, Julia is rewarded with dinner for two at "A Restaurant". After their meal, Julia and Grant venture to her apartment, where they have sex. Later, Grant takes Julia to Tiffany & Co., where the salespeople reveal that she may pick whatever she wants. He then declares he loves her and proposes, and she happily accepts. The couple then meets with Grant's parents, Bernie and Roz, who recommend a wedding planner, after which Roz reveals that Grant lost his virginity to the housekeeper, Eduardo.

Julia and Grant visit the overzealous wedding planner, Jell-O, and suggest to her that they would like a traditional, elegant wedding. Jell-O instead insists they pick a fast food restaurant called Taco Butt as their venue, which Julia declines. Annoyed, Jell-O angrily tells them that it's the best she can do on short notice. Grant tries to ease the awkward situation by telling them he has already chosen a best man. Jell-O's mood changes and excitedly reveals that she will also be the wedding entertainment by slamming her desk over with her massive butt and aggressively rips off her suit to reveal a gold spandex bra and tights. The couple are shocked as she shows off her provocative dance moves, then scream in fear as she backs up towards them and joyfully smothers them with her butt, getting even for declining her earlier offer.

Grant introduces Julia to his best man, Andy, his ex-fiancée, who seemingly harbors no resentment towards Julia for marrying Grant, even helping Julia shop for her wedding dress. At the bridal shop, Julia hits her head on a power box and suddenly can read people's thoughts. Reading Andy's mind, she realises Andy wants to get back together with Grant and plans to split them up. The women fight each other, Kill Bill -style.

On the wedding day, Julia arrives late, then witnesses Grant and Andy sharing a kiss (but Julia is unaware that Grant tried to reject her), leaving Julia heartbroken. Unable to forgive Grant, she agrees to marry Nicky.

Once at the altar with Nicky, Julia is regretting it, having flashbacks about her and Grant. Frank objects to the union, realizing he was wrong about Grant who liked her even before the makeover. He persuades her to go after Grant who is revealed to have waited for months. Julia hurries to meet him as he is leaving, while shoving aside Andy who was pursuing him too.

Julia arrives too late and sees Grant on the streets before she falls off the roof, though Grant conveniently catches her. They get back together and get married, with Hitch officiating and now dating Jell-O, who appludes. Andy and Nicky meet at the wedding and fall in love. Meanwhile, Grant and Julia leave in a horse and carriage. Roz gifts her a vaginal thermometer which apparently has been in their family for generations and is regarded as good luck when kept unwashed.

On their honeymoon, Grant and Julia go to Skull Island and film a woman, Anne, tied between two poles. After King Kong rips off her dress and gropes her, she says "I like hairy boys", so King Kong flattens her.

Cast

Parodies

Films and TV shows

Real-life people

Production

Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg sold an untitled romantic comedy pitch to Regency Enterprises and became attached to helm it. [10] In June 2005, it was announced Alyson Hannigan and Adam Campbell were to star in the film. [11]

Release

Box office

The film grossed $48,548,426 in the United States and $36,247,230 internationally, adding up to a worldwide gross of $84,795,656. [2]

Critical response

The film did not have advance press screenings. [12] It received unfavorable reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 7% based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 2.9/10. The site's critical consensus states: "In an attempt to parody rom-com clichés, Date Movie ultimately makes a mockery of itself, with juvenile toilet humor and empty pop culture references." [13] The site ranked the film 77th in the 100 worst reviewed films of the 2000s. [14] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 11 based on 18 reviews, indicating "overwhelming dislike". [15] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade C+ on scale of A to F. [16]

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly awarded the film a B− grade, and compared it to fast food, suggesting that if audiences are "hungry for comedy that's salty and loud," this film might be just what audiences are craving. [4] Variety praised Jennifer Coolidge for providing a few bright moments with a spot-on spoof of Barbra Streisand, but was otherwise unimpressed describing the film as "padded and repetitious". [6]

Critic Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club was amazed that a "joke-a-second comedy" failed to contain a single laugh. [3]

Pete Vonder Haar of Film Threat described the film as a contender for the worst of 2006. He walked out of the film after 29 minutes without a single laugh and said he did not feel any guilt about it. He described the laughter of others in the audience as "inexplicable" and wondered if U.S. cinema-going audiences were made up of "deranged howler monkeys". [12]

Accolades

Carmen Electra won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her performance in this film and Scary Movie 4 . [17] At the 2006 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, Jennifer Coolidge was nominated for Most Annoying Fake Female Accent but lost to Cindy Cheung for Lady in the Water . However, the film won the awards for Worst Screenplay and Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy.

Home media

The film was released on DVD on May 30, 2006 in rated (83 minutes) and unrated (84 minutes) versions and 1,051,878 units were sold, bringing in $18,777,508 in revenue. [18]

Soundtrack

Date Movie Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
various
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2006
RecordedVarious times
Genre R&B, hip hop
Label Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Track listing [19]
  1. "Milkshake" – Kelis
  2. "Party Hard" – The Perceptionists
  3. "You’re the First, the Last, My Everything" – Barry White
  4. "Toma" – Pitbull feat. Lil Jon
  5. "Funhop" – Todd Schietroma
  6. "Do You Believe in Magic" – The Lovin' Spoonful
  7. "Too Much Booty (In da Pants)" – Soundmaster T
  8. "Break it on Down" – Flii Stylz & Tenashus
  9. "Baby Come Back" – Player (Edit)
  10. "The Price Is Right (Theme)" – David Kitay
  11. "Break It Down" – Alana D.
  12. "Come on Shake" – Classic
  13. "What Will You Do?" – Sparklemotion
  14. "Don't Cha" – Pussycat Dolls

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alyson Hannigan</span> American actress and television presenter (born 1974)

Allison Lee Hannigan, known professionally as Alyson Hannigan, is an American actress and television presenter.

<i>Scary Movie</i> 2000 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie is a 2000 American slasher parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, alongside Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Starring Jon Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Shannon Elizabeth, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, Regina Hall, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, and Dave Sheridan, it follows a group of teenagers who accidentally hit a man with their car, dump his body in a lake, and swear to secrecy. A year later, someone wearing a Ghostface mask and robe begins hunting them one by one.

<i>The Wedding Singer</i> 1998 film by Frank Coraci

The Wedding Singer is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor, and tells the story of a wedding singer in 1985 who falls in love with a waitress. The film was released on February 13, 1998. Produced on a budget of US$18 million, it grossed $123 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics. It is often ranked as one of Sandler's best comedies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Stiles</span> American actress (born 1981)

Julia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress. Born and raised in New York City, Stiles began acting at the age of 11 as part of New York's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Her film debut was a small role in I Love You, I Love You Not (1996), followed by a lead role in Wicked (1998) for which she received the Karlovy Vary Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She rose to prominence with leading roles in teen films such as 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Down to You (2000), and Save the Last Dance (2001). Her accolades include a Teen Choice Award and two MTV Movie Awards, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe Award, and Primetime Emmy Award.

<i>Meet the Parents</i> 2000 film by Jay Roach

Meet the Parents is a 2000 American romantic comedy film written by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg and directed by Jay Roach. It chronicles a series of unfortunate events that befall a good-hearted but hapless nurse while visiting his girlfriend's parents. In addition, Teri Polo stars as Pam Byrnes while Owen Wilson stars as Kevin Rawley.

<i>Meet the Fockers</i> 2004 film by Jay Roach

Meet the Fockers is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Jay Roach, and the sequel to the 2000 film, Meet the Parents. The film stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teri Polo</span> American actress (born 1969)

Theresa Elizabeth Polo is an American actress. She starred as Pamela Martha Focker in the Meet the Parents trilogy, Helen Santos in The West Wing, and played the role of police officer Stef Adams Foster in the Freeform series The Fosters (2013–2018) and its spinoff Good Trouble (2019–2024).

<i>Bridget Joness Diary</i> 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire

Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire from a screenplay by Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis. It is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Fielding. The film stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, a 32-year-old British single woman who writes a diary, which focuses on the things she wishes to happen in her life. However, her life changes when two men vie for her affection, portrayed by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones appear in supporting roles.

<i>Spy Hard</i> Film by Rick Friedberg

Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy parody film starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan, parodying James Bond and other action films. The introduction to the film is sung by comedy artist "Weird Al" Yankovic, and it was the first film to be written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, who went on to write and direct parody films such as Date Movie, Disaster Movie, and Meet the Spartans. The film's title is a parody of Die Hard. The film was directed by Rick Friedberg who produced with Doug Draizin and Jeffrey Konvitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Coolidge</span> American actress (born 1961)

Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress. Known for her work in the comedy genre, Coolidge is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2023, she was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

Crista Flanagan is an American actress, best known for her work as a cast member on the Fox sketch comedy series MADtv from 2005 to 2009, various roles in films made by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, and her recurring role as Lois Sadler on the AMC series Mad Men.

Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer are American and Canadian filmmakers. They have primarily worked on parody films, which they began writing and directing during the mid-2000s. Friedberg and Seltzer's first five films between 2006 and 2010 received wide theatrical releases to mostly commercial success, but universally negative reviews; their films Epic Movie (2007), Meet the Spartans and Disaster Movie are considered among the worst ever made. Following Vampires Suck (2010), their subsequent releases in the 2010s garnered less attention, largely due to their limited theatrical distribution.

<i>Epic Movie</i> 2007 American parody film

Epic Movie is a 2007 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Paul Schiff. It stars Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jayma Mays, Jennifer Coolidge, Faune A. Chambers, Crispin Glover, Tony Cox, and Fred Willard. A parody of the epic film genre, the film mostly references The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean, and X-Men.

<i>Meet the Spartans</i> 2008 film by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer

Meet the Spartans is a 2008 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. The film is mainly a parody of the 2006/2007 film 300, although it also references many other films, TV shows, people and pop cultural events of the time, in a manner similar to previous films that Friedberg and Seltzer had been involved in such as Scary Movie, Date Movie, and Epic Movie. The film stars Sean Maguire, Carmen Electra, Ken Davitian, and Kevin Sorbo.

<i>Disaster Movie</i> 2008 American superhero comedy film

Disaster Movie is a 2008 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Peter Safran, Friedberg, and Seltzer. It stars Matt Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo, Gary "G Thang" Johnson, Crista Flanagan, Nicole Parker, Ike Barinholtz, Carmen Electra, Tony Cox, and Kim Kardashian in her feature film debut. It was released on August 29, 2008, by Lionsgate. The film is mainly a parody of the disaster film genre, although it also references many other films, TV shows, people, and pop culture events of the time.

<i>Little Fockers</i> 2010 film by Paul Weitz

Little Fockers is a 2010 American romantic comedy film and the third and final film in the Meet the Parents film series, serving as a sequel to Meet the Parents (2000) and Meet the Fockers (2004). The film stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand.

<i>Vampires Suck</i> 2010 American vampire parody film

Vampires Suck is a 2010 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. It stars Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher N. Riggi, Ken Jeong, Anneliese van der Pol, and Arielle Kebbel. The film is a parody of The Twilight Saga franchise. Like the previous Friedberg and Seltzer movies, the film was panned by critics for its humor and plot. 20th Century Fox theatrically released the film on August 18, 2010.

<i>Meet the Parents</i> (film series) 2000–2010 series of three films

Meet the Parents is a film series following the character Greg Focker as he interacts with his family and in-laws. The series is made up of three movies: Meet the Parents (2000), Meet the Fockers (2004), and Little Fockers (2010). The series primarily stars Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, and Barbra Streisand. The three films earned over $1.15 billion at the box office.

<i>Bridget Jones</i> (film series) 2001 film

The Bridget Jones film series consists of romantic comedy films based on the book series of the same name by Helen Fielding. Starring Renée Zellweger in the title role, with an ensemble supporting cast, the films follow the life events of primary characters Bridget Jones, Mark Darcy, and Daniel Cleaver and explores their respective relationships.

<i>Not Another Not Another Movie</i> 2011 film

Not Another Not Another Movie is a 2011 American direct-to-video comedy film starring David Leo Schultz, Vinnie Jones, Michael Madsen, Ellie Gerber and featuring Chevy Chase and Burt Reynolds.

References

  1. ↑ "DATE MOVIE (12A)". British Board of Film Classification . February 13, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Date Movie (2006)". Box Office Mojo . Amazon.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Scott Tobias (February 21, 2006). "Date Movie". The A.V. Club . The Onion.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Owen Gleiberman (February 22, 2006). "Date Movie (2006)". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2020. hodgepodge of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Bridget Jones's Diary, Meet the Fockers, Hitch, and Sleepless in Seattle
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Anna Smith (February 15, 2006). "Date Movie". Denver Post.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Leydon, Joe (February 17, 2006). "Date Movie". Variety.
  7. 1 2 Anna Smith (January 1, 2000). "Date Movie". Empire .
  8. ↑ Jon O'Brien (June 20, 2017). "My Best Friend's Wedding: 20 things you may not know about the classic rom-com". Metro (British Newspaper) .
  9. ↑ Kuhl, Ken. "Carl's Jr. ad parodied in film". FoodFacts.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  10. ↑ "'Scary' duo back at Regency". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Thesp duo joins laffer". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Date Movie". Film Threat. February 19, 2006. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  13. ↑ "Date Movie". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Worst of the Worst 2000–2009". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved 2013-07-29.
  15. ↑ "Date Movie". Metacritic . CBS.
  16. ↑ "DATE MOVIE (2006) C+". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  17. ↑ Scott Weinberg (April 20, 2020). "2006 Razzie Awards Announced".
  18. ↑ "Date Movie DVD". Nash Information Services. The Numbers.
  19. ↑ "Original Soundtrack - Date Movie". Amazon.com. 2006.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.