First I might start off by saying that How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is one of my favorite romantic comedies. It would be impossible to say it’s one of my favorite movies, this including all genres, but as far as romance goes, Lose a Guy, is one of the better. Sure there are the classics like Annie Hall and Pretty Woman, but the 2003 flick is one of the best in the last decade.
Before I get to the many positives, you must hear the bad with the good. The only real negative I can say about the newly released Blu-ray DVD of Lose a Guy is the cover art. On the original DVD the two main characters were shown in their formal wear from a party scene in the movie. Matthew McConaughey (who plays Benjamin Barry) is leaning against his costar in a black tuxedo with a silk tie. Kate Hudson (who plays Andie Anderson) is wearing a beautiful floor-length yellow dress. Her blond hair is swept away to top off her gleaming golden gown. It’s a beautiful dress, not to mention the scene in the movie is classic. Unfortunately, on the cover of the Blu-ray, the pair stands in the same pose and are wearing the same outfits, but Hudson’s was digitally altered and her beautiful dress is gray instead of yellow. Why? In an effort to make the Blu-ray disc distinguishable from the DVD, they removed an integral part of that cover. Don’t mess with a good thing.
And there are many good things that you don’t want to detract from when it comes to Lose a Guy. Andie is the in-house “How To” columnist for a women’s magazine and Ben is an advertising exec trying to land a huge account with a diamond company. Andie decides to write a piece called “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” in order to explore the most common dating faux pas that women make in an attempt to shake a guy after just a week and a half.
Simultaneously, Ben makes a bet with some ladies at work that he can make any girl fall in love with him, and if he achieves this then he becomes point man on the diamond account. And so begins a serious of screwball attempts of Andie’s as she tries to get Ben to dump her for her column, while Ben puts up with all of it in order to win his bet.
Andie convinces Ben she’s got tickets to the Knicks game when really she has tickets to a Celine Dion concert. Andie shows up at his office with a tiny dog wearing a sweater that matches hers, and a shirt she bought for him. The idea of a Burberry clad family would be too much for a man when you’ve only been dating a girl a week, but Ben hangs in there to nab the prize he’s after. Additionally, Andie gets a copy of his apartment key and surprises Ben in the middle of his guy’s night poker game. She replaces cigars and chips with cucumber sandwiches and allows her small dog to pee right in the middle of the game table.
I’m a huge fan of cucumber sandwiches, but let’s face it—it’s not appropriate for a poker game. Like a crunchy cucumber sandwich, Lose a Guy, really gives you something to sink your teeth into. With two of Hollywood’s most beautiful actors in the film, even if you don’t like the story then you’ve still got those two who provide enough of a crunch. Of course that’s not all. While it is a romantic comedy, which is considered by some to be part of the lowest rung of the totem pole when it comes to movie genres, it is exciting and witty. The fun never ceases and you won’t regret seeing this movie again and again.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The extra features that come with the Blu-ray aren’t exactly winning, but they aren’t terrible for a movie that came out 6 years ago. The high definition movie comes with the director’s commentary, two featurettes that relate to the topic of the movie, and one on the making of the movie itself. The two featurettes are called: “Why The Sexes Battle” and “Girls Night Out.” The featurettes are cute and are more entertaining than the other extras available, but they aren’t the best. The real cute factor on this Blu-ray disc comes from the movie itself.
"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" is on sale August 18, 2009 and is rated PG13. Comedy, Romance. Directed by Donald Petrie. Written by Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long (book) ; Kristen Buckley, Brian Regan, Burr Steers (screenplay). Starring Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey.
