The Ex has all the elements of spit'“out'“your'“popcorn'“funny films like There's Something About Mary, said Robert Butler in The Kansas City Star. So what the heck went wrong? Director Jesse Peretz has corralled a top'“notch comic cast, but screenwriters David Guion and Michael Handelman stick them with a string of gags 'œbefitting a so'“so sitcom.' Zach Braff of Scrubs is Tom Reilly, a married guy who loses his job in New York just as wife Sofia (Amanda Peet) is about to have a baby. They move back to her hometown, where Tom ends up working with her paraplegic ex'“boyfriend from high school, played by Arrested Development's Jason Bateman. His untiring attempts to undermine Tom and win back Sofia give the plot some spark, said Kevin Crust in the Los Angeles Times. But the film doesn't have the go'“for'“broke quality of the Farrelly brothers' best films. 'œExcept for the inspired casting of Bateman, the scenario lacks the needed bite to make it fly,' and its 90'“minute running time 'œfeels much longer.' Charles Grodin stands out among a supporting cast that includes Mia Farrow, Paul Rudd, and numerous other stars whose talents get squandered, said Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News. Only Braff fans will find much to smile for long about. 'œPerched perilously on the fence between screwball and romantic comedy,' The Ex fails the basic requirement of both forms: It's 'œinexcusably unfunny.'
Rating: PG'“13
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
