"Along Came Polly" 2004

“Along Came Polly”

This is a movie that I like parts of but not the whole. The parts I don’t like are those with Jennifer Aniston. I just couldn’t buy her as the character she was trying to play. I don’t know if it was too many years of Rachel Green or just bad acting on her part.

I am a big “Friends” fan. I have the entire series on DVD and will watch it about any night it is on television. I like the characters in the following order.

Chandler-Love Matthew Perry!
Phoebe-Lisa Kudrow rocks!
Joey-Matt LeBlanc is hilarious.
Monica-Courtney Cox is wonderfully neurotic.
Ross-Kind of annoying. Not into discomfort comedy.
Rachel-Just irritated me.

Speaking of Ben Stiller, he is the king of discomfort comedy. Audiences seem to love him when he is uncomfortable, humiliated or embarrassed. This is one of those roles. There is irritable bowel syndrome, which was played to perfection in “Lady Killers”. (I will get to that one soon). He is embarrassed by his wife, his parents, and best friend. His boss touches him in uncomfortable ways.

So why do I watch this movie. Three words.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He is delightful. He is Ben Stiller’s best friend. He is living on a movie role he did as a kid and working on a documentary for “True Hollywood Story”.

Cake Decorator: Hey, aren't you that kid from Crocodile Tears?
Sandy Lyle: That's right. I'm Sandy Lyle.
Cake Decorator: Man I saw that movie in high school. That bagpipes scene, that was the funniest $hit.
Sandy Lyle: Yeah, we had a good time on that picture. You want an autograph?
Cake Decorator: No, thanks. It's good to see you man. I thought you died like fifteen years ago.
Sandy Lyle: No. I'm very much alive, my friend.

He has brought a new word into my family.

Sandy Lyle: Reuben, I'm in a situation here. We have to leave now.
Reuben Feffer: No. Can we stay a couple more minutes?
Sandy Lyle: Dude, no. This is serious. I just sharted.
Reuben Feffer: I don't know what that means.
Sandy Lyle: I tried to fart and a little $hit came out. I just sharted. Now let's go.
Reuben Feffer: You're the most disgusting person I've ever met in my life.

He even saves the day for his best friend.

Sandy Lyle: All right, we all need to look into our hearts and go, "Do I think this dude is gonna die in a few years or not?" Is old Leland here gonna fight off a man... who goes by the last name "Reaper," first name "Grim"? Or will this BASE-jumping, crocodile-wrestling, shark-diving, volcano-luging, bear-fighting, snake-wrangling, motocross-racing ba$tard die?

I could watch a whole movie about this guy. Let Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston stay on the island with Hank Azaria and his nudity.