Ben Barry (McConaughey) and Andie Anderson (Hudson) play the relationship game, with amusing and entertaining results in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

10 days that shook the girl
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Stars Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Adam Goldberg, Thomas Lennon and Michael Michele. Rated PG.
Reviewer: Pte Simone Heyer

A gratuitously girly film, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a hilarious look at relationships and their perceived rules.

Andie Anderson (Hudson) is the ‘how to’ girl with Composure magazine, Ben Barry (McConaughey) is in advertising – sports products and alcohol. Their jobs lead them together and force them apart.

On first inspection, this movie is a mindless romantic comedy, but after the first 10 minutes you discover it’s slightly more.

Anderson is a thinking woman and not just a ditzy blonde. She tries to take the heat off a friend during a magazine production meeting and ends up with a feature of her own: how to lose a guy in 10 days – due in 11 days, from a personal point of view – using dating techniques that women go wrong with.

From clogging up his bathroom cabinet with girly stuff, to leaving endless phone messages, turning up at boys-only card nights, Celine Dion concerts and making up pet names, Anderson tries it all, but to no avail.

There is a catch.
Barry specialises in male-oriented advertising, but desperately wants to get his hands on a new diamond contract that comes up at his company. Colleagues agree he can have the contract – if he can prove himself as a ladies man and have a woman of their choice fall in love with him … in 10 days.

His colleagues had met Anderson earlier that day and knowing her agenda, chose her to be the lucky lady.

If you’ve a mildly cynical sense of humour, parts of this movie are pure gold. You’ll laugh so much the people in front will stare at you when the lights come back on.

Ladies, it does give a few good tips to scare away freaky men and perhaps some points to avoid when you’re smitten. Two words – love fern.

McConaughey is his usual charming self and Hudson glitters – Goldie Hawn all over, without the puffy lips.

It will make you cringe, it will embarrass you, and it will make you sigh with delight. An easy to watch, amusing film.

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