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"HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS"
(2003) (Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Minor Moderate None None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate None None Mild Heavy
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy Minor None Moderate Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Comedy: An ad man tries to get a woman to fall in love with him to win a bet, but picks a magazine writer who's set out to pen a story about doing all of the wrong things to drive a man away in ten days.
PLOT:
Ben Berry (MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY) is an advertising manager who wants to get away from hawking beer and sneaker products with his associates, Tony (ADAM GOLDBERG) and Thayer (THOMAS LENNON), and work on something a bit sexier, such as selling diamonds. Unfortunately, his boss, Phillip Warren (ROBERT KLEIN), has already given such a campaign to his coworkers, Judy Spears (MICHAEL MICHELE) and Judy Green (SHALOM HARLOW).

They're none too happy that he's trying to move in on their work, but agree to a bet to be judged by Phillip that will settle the matter. If Ben can get a woman they choose to fall in love with him and show up as his girlfriend at an event just ten days later, he can have the account.

They do so because during a visit to Composure Magazine's headquarters they overheard that "how to" columnist Andie Anderson (KATE HUDSON) is going to write an article about how to lose a guy in ten days by committing the same relationship-ending mistakes that many women accidentally or unknowingly make.

When they spot Andie and her friends, Michelle (KATHARYN HAHN) - the sad sack example behind the story idea - and Jeannie (ANNIE PARISSE), Spears and Judy pick her as Ben's target. Unaware of their insider information, Ben agrees and he and Andie then meet, positive that they'll have no problem pulling off their respective tasks. Soon, he's doing everything he can to make her fall for him, while she waits a bit before doing everything in her power to drive him away.

Yet, as Andie's boss, Lana Long (BEBE NEUWIRTH), puts pressure on her to finish the article in time for publication and Ben does what he can to act as if Andie's actions don't bother him, the two soon realize that they may be truly falling for each other. From that point on and as their respective deadlines approach, they have to figure out what to do.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of romantic comedies or anyone in the cast, it's a good bet they will.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For some sex-related material.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY plays an advertising manager who wants to lead a lucrative diamond account and thus takes a bet with his competitors about whether he can get a woman to fall in love with him and be his date at a big dinner in 10 days. He drinks, smokes cigars once, uses profanity and apparently has sex with Andie in the shower.
  • KATE HUDSON plays a women's magazine columnist who wants to write about things that matter, but finds herself repeatedly writing fluffy "how to" articles. She agrees to write one about how to lose a man in ten days (to help a friend and to try to advance to those other types of stories) and thus tries to get Ben to fall for her and then drive him crazy over the next 10 days so that he breaks up with her. She uses profanity and apparently has sex with Ben in the shower.
  • ADAM GOLDBERG and THOMAS LENNON play Ben's friends and coworkers who listen and watch in amazement at his attempts to put up with and get Andie to fall for him.
  • MICHAEL MICHELE and SHALOM HARLOW play two of Ben's coworkers who try to thwart him moving in on their diamond account.
  • BEBE NEUWIRTH plays Andie's boss who pressures her into writing and then finishing her article.
  • ROBERT KLEIN plays Ben's boss who agrees to the bet regarding Ben and uses some profanity.
  • KATHARYN HAHN plays Andie's high-maintenance friend who can't understand why men dump her after only a short period of dating.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a quick look at the content found in this romantic comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 33 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue and/or magazine title headlines are present in various scenes, some passionate kissing occurs and some of that and some disrobing (no explicit nudity) occurs before implied sex in the shower.

    Various characters drink and/or smoke, while some have varying degrees of bad attitudes (but all are played for comedy). Some brief, crude humor is present as is some imitative behavior, while a man punches another man in the face.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Andie's straight female friend jokes that she's not "putting out" when Andie asks if she'll accompany her to a basketball game. Andie then jokes back that after a few drinks that friend will be whistling a new tune.
  • We hear that Ben and Tony usually work on beer and sneaker ad campaigns. He later tells Andie that and she jokes, "Saving the world one keg party at a time."
  • Various people have drinks in a bar where Ben pours champagne for Phil, Spears and Green while Andie and her two friends have drinks.
  • Andie and Ben return to his place where they have beer.
  • Andie has drinks with her friends.
  • Ben has wine and tells Andie to pour some for herself for dinner.
  • Ben has a beer and then pours some in a bowl for his and Andie's dog, but it doesn't drink any.
  • Ben and his poker buddies have beer and drinks on the table.
  • People have wine or champagne at an event where an older woman wants Ben to order her a whiskey sour. We then see Tony and Thayer drinking champagne.
  • Andie and Michelle have beer.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We see a small dog urinate on the top of a pool table. It later does the same on a poker table.
  • Ben's older uncle repeatedly farts during a poker game.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • While played for comedy, Ben and Andie misrepresent themselves and their intentions toward each other with him doing everything he can to make her fall and stay in love with him, while she does everything she can to drive him away.
  • Ben has a beer and then pours some in a bowl for his and Andie's dog, but it doesn't drink any.
  • Spears and Green are two conniving types who set out thwart Ben's attempts at landing the account (with insider information they have) and then try to ruin his and Andie's relationship.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Horsesh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Busted my butt," "Chicks" (women), "Pretty damn cute," "Shut up," "Pummel your ass," "Nobody screw with me," "Sucked," "Chick flick," "That sucks," "Pisser," "Freaking," "What the hell was that?" "Freaked out," "Schmuck," "Jerk" and "Holy crap."
  • Ben weaves through stopped traffic on his motorcycle.
  • Andie does various things to attempt to annoy Ben (so that he'll break up with her) including acting hysterical and demanding; making a public scene by stating he thinks she's fat; giving his "member" a female name; leaving many messages on his answering machine; placing feminine products in his medicine cabinet; and generally acting like a raving sociopath.
  • A miscellaneous woman has tattoos on her arm, as does Tony.
  • Ben and his family get Andie to participate in a card game known as "Bullsh*t" where part of the game is verbally saying that word when one thinks another player is bluffing with his or her hand. Accordingly, the word is said many times during this scene.
  • Ben has a beer and then pours some in a bowl for his and Andie's dog, but it doesn't drink any.
  • Andie and her friends wear midriff-revealing tops in one scene.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song has the lyrics, "It's hot in here, so take off all your clothes."
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 33 "s" words (used with "bull" many times during a card game of the same name and elsewhere), 2 slang terms for male genitals ("member"), 1 slang term for sex ("put out"), 8 hells, 3 damns, 2 asses, 1 crap, 1 S.O.B., 4 uses of "Oh my God," 2 of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "God," "Jesus" and "Oh Jesus" as exclamations.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • During a montage, we see some quick shots of women in revealing and/or tight athletic gear (with the camera focusing on their bodies). We also see a title on a magazine cover that reads, "I lost my virginity and now I want it back."
  • Andie's straight female friend jokes that she's not "putting out" when Andie asks if she'll accompany her to a basketball game. Andie then jokes back that after a few drinks that friend will be whistling a new tune.
  • Ben asks Spears about a magazine article about "turn on tricks" and such.
  • Tony asks Ben if his night included an orgy as some women watch Ben change his shirt in the office.
  • Michelle admits that she cried a great deal (in a good way) the first time she had sex with a guy (she had known for less than a week). She then complains that since Andie is so beautiful she could "barf" on a guy and he'd still want to "do it" again.
  • Green suggestively runs her hand down her own chest while describing a diamond and there's talk about the difference between lust and love in such regards.
  • Andie and Ben return to his place where she calls Michelle from the bathroom (stating that she's not going to sleep with him). Later, she seductively lies on his bed and motions for him to join her, but he has her come over and sit next to him. She then suddenly and passionately kisses him, but he stops and says not to go too fast. He then suddenly and passionately kisses her, but she then says the same back to him. He then lies down on top of her on the bed (both are clothed) with more passionate kissing, but nothing else happens.
  • We see the side of part of a woman's bare butt in a swimsuit ad.
  • After a man punches Ben in the face (when Andie purposefully gets that man mad at them), she holds Ben's face to her clothed chest. He then starts playfully rubbing his head around there until she stops him.
  • Andie suddenly grabs Ben's clothed thigh and spins over on top of him. She then tears open his shirt, looks down at his clothed crotch, and calls his unseen genitals "Princess Sofia." He then stops her and says that she can't call "my member" by that name but that it should be something like "Spike, Butch or "Krull the warrior king." She then playfully asks if Krull the warrior king wants to come out and play. He then says that due to humiliation, the king has temporarily abdicated his throne.
  • Played for laughs, Ben finds tampons and a tube of Vagisil in his medicine cabinet.
  • A woman, posing as a couples therapist, asks how things are sexually between Andie and Ben. He says they haven't had sex and she states that Ben has a little problem (while holding up her bent finger). He says that's not true and then states that the one night they thought about getting close to having sex, she named his penis "Princess Sofia." The therapist then asks Ben when he first realized he was attracted to men (he states he's not).
  • Andie and Ben are in the bathroom at his parent's place and she wants him to remove her top. He does and she then takes off his shirt (seen in a head and shoulders shot) and they passionately kiss. We then hear her undoing his pants and they go into the shower together (and sex is implied).
  • We see another magazine cover headline that reads, "Once is not enough."
  • Andie wears a dress with a very low cut back (to the top of her butt).
  • Spears and Green show some cleavage in their dresses.
  • Andie sings a bit about Ben's lovemaking being lame.
  • SMOKING
  • Ben and some of his poker friends smoke cigars in one scene (that Andie makes them put out), while some miscellaneous people smoke in a few scenes.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • None.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Relationships, and how men and women look at and participate in them differently.
  • Lying to others and/or leading them on, particularly in relationships.
  • Ad accounts and campaigns.
  • VIOLENCE
  • A large man punches Ben in the face (sending him to the floor).



  • Reviewed January 23, 2003 / Posted February 7, 2003

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