At first glance, I probably would not have wanted to see “This Means War.” It’s a typical girl-choosing-between-two-guys-who-happen-to-both-be-perfect-in-every-way movie, adding in some famous comedians (in this case, Chelsea Handler) and a little twist to make things somewhat interesting (both of the gorgeous guys are secret spies). You wouldn’t think it would be too special, but that’s where the idea of going into a movie with no expectations comes in handy.
Lauren, played by the talented Reese Witherspoon, is a workaholic whose crazy, sex-obsessed friend (Handler) creates an online dating profile for her. Surprise, surprise, she actually gets a hit: a sexy British cutie named Tuck (Tom Hardy, “Inception”). And then the very next day, she runs into a smooth player named FDR (I don’t get the name either), played by Chris Pine of “Star Trek.” The two guys work together for a top-secret spy agency, and one day at work, they discover they are both dating the same girl. That’s when the war begins.
To be honest, Witherspoon deserves better. She has so much more talent than a little film like this one, but she still was able to pull off a beautiful performance. Pine is surprisingly able to bring tons of laughs to the already witty script. Hardy is a little less known than the other two powerhouse actors, but I think it is important to keep an eye out for him. He was sweet and genuine, and let’s face it, an accent makes everything better.
I recommend taking a guy to see this one. I know that will be difficult to drag him all the way to the theater and get him to stay seated through the first 10 minutes, but this film is a unique romcom. It accomplishes the idea of seeing things from the male perspective instead of always hearing the sappy-whiny girl side. Witherspoon’s character is mostly down-to-earth, and instead of her throwing a temper tantrum, the boys are the ones using every tactic they can think of to sabotage the other. It’s a funny, cute look into love from a new angle, and it’s worth spending part of your Friday paycheck on.