Film Review: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

In How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, British Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg returns to the screen as Sidney Young, failing journalist with an alter-ego who is less alternative than ego. In fact, Sidney Young’s other side is basically himself, only famous. Though Pegg suits the role of Young, the screenplay of HTLF&AP fails to provide an adequate vehicle for the character. From the outset of the film, it displays How to Fit Every Comedy Cliché into Ninety Minutes, beginning with that unforgettable (though we try!) phrase, “but it wasn’t always like this…” and a flashback.

If you can’t answer these questions, you’ll think it’s unique and hilarious.

• A room in a high rise building, an open window, the love interest’s pet dog, a bouncing rubber ball – what happens next?
• Complete this sentence “Failing writer is offered to write a puff piece and refuses on ethical grounds, then later he ___________________________”
• “Hotshot writer picks up woman in a bar, takes her home and when she undresses he finds out that she is really ______________”

The film edges toward redeeming itself at several moments but seems to just miss the mark. For example, the pool scene where Sophie Maes (Megan Fox) reflects on her rising stardom as being completely independent of herself is promptly ruined by her sudden need for cocaine and sex. Despite the cringe-worthy clichés coating Pegg’s slapstick charade, it must be noted that Kirsten Dunst’s performance is the saving grace of the film. She is a beautifully honest character among the vacuous vaudeville, a pleasure at every point. Lovers of re-enacted cheese will thoroughly enjoy How to Lose Friends &Alienate People; a puff piece about the horrors of writing a puff piece.