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How to lose audiences and alienate critics
Pegg’s new comedy shoots for the stars, but falls short
By Danielle Stevens
Besides the trite romantic story line between Sidney and Alison, it’s possible that there may be some semblance of a tale (a very detached one at that) about deciding between selling out and following one’s dreams.
I must admit. I was extremely excited to see Simon Pegg’s latest comedic endeavor, “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People,” expecting something along the lines of “Shaun of the Dead” or “Hot Fuzz,” his hilarious collaborations with Edgar Wright and Nick Frost. As it turns out unfortunately, outside of that alliance and under the auspices of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” director Robert B. Weide, Pegg is a loveable fish out of water on bewildering ground.
The comedy is loosely based on the memoir of the same name by British journalist Toby Young chronicling his experiences of trying to climb his way to success in America through his work for the magazine “Vanity Fair.”
As the film opens, Sidney Young (in the film his name is Sidney, rather than Toby) runs a small underground magazine seemingly out of his apartment. He can’t afford to pay his staff, thus they don’t bother to answer his phones. Young dreams of making it big and hobnobbing with celebrities, which leads him to pull a stunt (involving a pig and Thandie Newton) during awards season to get into a VIP party run by top US celebrity magazine, “Sharps.” Inexplicably, this stunt gets him positively noticed by the head editor (Jeff Bridges) who invites him to New York City and work for room one of the magazine (there are seven rooms leading to the top). Sidney becomes acquainted with fellow level one-er Alison (Kirsten Dunst) in an overly cute meeting situation. From there on, Sidney continues to create one ludicrous situation after the next, attract a great deal of negative attention, as well as attempt to persuade his bosses to allow him to write articles that mock the most self important celebrities. All the while Sidney becomes obsessed with wooing it-girl ingénue Sophie Maes, played by the aptly named Megan Fox who channels a bit of Marilyn Monroe’s slinkiness.
Unfortunately, the “plot” of the film never really gels together in any proper way, shape or fashion. It’s never quite explained why Sidney is so obnoxious, why his actions never threaten his job, or why people continue to pay attention to him as though he is of someone of importance.
None of the characters are ever delved into enough for the viewer to care about them. Some of them seem to even seem to spring up out of nowhere, such as the film’s shark-like public relations executive, played in a surprising cameo by Gillian Anderson. Besides the trite romantic story line between Sidney and Alison, it’s possible that there may be some semblance of a tale (a very detached one at that) about deciding between selling out and following one’s dreams. It wasn’t until I read more about the real Toby Young that I understood that there really isn’t much more than the bizarre adventures he created while trying to make it.
Pegg is gifted with an extremely expressive comedic face, as well as a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor, none of which are lost in the film. Between Pegg, a fun soundtrack, and buoyant editing, keep the film afloat and moving briskly. Weide really seemed to have put himself out creating an environment that the Sidney would be star struck by. The film had some of the best shots of New York glitz and Los Angeles’ palm tree opulence that I have seen in a long time. Despite the detached plot and characters following storylines that go nowhere, there are silly funny parts and some low slap-sticky humor that make the film at least somewhat entertaining.
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