1642. Hitch (2005)

Starring: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James

Director: Andy Tennant

Running Time: 118 mins

Hitch is an American film about Alex Hitchens, a professional ‘date doctor’, who teaches unlucky men the way to get the women of their dreams. However, when dealing with his latest client, circumstances put him in the same position as so many of the men he has coached.

This may not be the world’s most intelligent film, but when you’re looking for something that’s as cool as ice, then Hitch is your best bet. With an amazingly slick performance by Will Smith, the film is a hugely entertaining watch from start to finish, taking a pretty generic romantic comedy story and filling it with both humour and heart.

If there is one thing that really makes this film, it’s Will Smith. It’s a similar concept to what Crazy Stupid Love did with Ryan Gosling’s character, but Smith is so slick at almost every moment in this movie that it’s a far better show. In part, his constantly cool and upbeat attitude to everything, as well as his character’s ingenuity when it comes to teaching people about relationships, make him an effortlessly likable presence from beginning to end.

But it’s not just because he’s such a smooth operator. A positive of the film as a whole, Smith’s character is a very down-to-earth and loving person. This film isn’t about going with as many women as possible, but rather becoming the right sort of person for them, and that’s something we don’t so see enough on the male side of the romantic comedy genre. Will Smith’s performance makes that whole concept so convincing, and with his sheer coolness, takes away any sense of cheesy romance and replaces it with genuinely likable heart.

Going back to the story, it was brilliantly refreshing to see the film have a more heartfelt approach to the romantic comedy genre, focusing more on the characters involved rather than the object of their relationships. What’s more is that the plot, although a little silly in real world terms, is properly entertaining to watch.

Yes, it’s brilliantly cool to watch Will Smith swiftly help these men to be with the women of their dreams, but the contrast that you get between his clients’ relationships and his own romance was also very enjoyable to watch, and gave the film yet another level of emotional intrigue.

I’m not going to say that Hitch is a piece of cinematic art, but what it does really well is provide an entertaining and interesting watch, something that the romantic comedy genre definitely doesn’t do often. Its central performance is super slick, and its philosophy on romance and relationships is a pleasant break from what we normally see, and that’s why I’m giving Hitch a 7.9.