'Date Movie' is the first movie in the film-parody genre that is so terrible it is not worth watching. The film spends most of its time repeating actual lines and scenes from other films, rather than parodying a certain genre. 'Date Movie' makes fun of movies normally classified as chick flicks, but it also makes fun of 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Kill Bill.' It is a collection of scenes from previous films such as 'Meet the Parents,' 'Napoleon Dynamite,' 'Pretty Woman,' 'My Best Friend's Wedding' and 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.'
Though it parodies more than 25 other movies'which would lead one to believe the movie is fast-paced'this film feels like it will not end.
Alyson Hannigan plays Julia Jones, a girl who is overweight in the beginning of the film and then decides she will do whatever it takes to find a man. She is the only daughter of a Greek, Indian and Japanese family, and her father wants her to marry someone of all her heritages. However, she falls in love with Grant, a good-looking rich guy and they end up getting engaged. Grant meets Julia's parents, they meet with a wedding planner named 'J-ello,' and Grant's gorgeous best friend comes to town to be his best man. In the end, they get married, and it ends up being every movie that it wants to parody.
'Scary Movie' was the first in the line of multiple parody movies, which earned some respect because of the then-recent surge of teen slasher flicks. However, what the writers of this film need to learn is that simply making a reference to another film is not the same thing as making a sophisticated joke about it. Certain lines from this film are taken directly from the films they are parodying. For example, in a scene taken directly out of 'Meet the Fockers,' Mrs. Fonkyerdoder explains how Grant, 'lost his virginity to the housekeeper.' This is the exact line in the original, showing the film is better at thievery than referencing.
In another scene, the couple is talking in the street about their relationship when the camera begins focusing on Michael Jackson being beaten by a mother, because he was with her son. The entire scene focused on making an uncreative joke for the hundredth time, though this may have been the right choice given the pathetic script.
'Date Movie' is one addition to the parody genre that will be forgotten. Out of the 25 movies that were parodied in the film, only one of them was good for a laugh. It was hard to understand why actors such as Hannigan and Fred Willard agreed to be in this ridiculous film; even their comic talents were not enough to save it. The only reason to see this movie would be to piss off your family, girlfriend, friend or enemy, because for that purpose, the movie is an unqualified success.
