Love is a many splendoured thing. It can also lead to chaos. Two unlikely people may yet lock lips in What’s Your Number, a raunchy tale of missed opportunities from 20th Century Fox Films. Women are at the focus of this movie. One lady, in particular, has a bit of a hard time dealing with relationships. Experience may yet be the death of one Ally Darling. Like the surname suggests, Anna Faris (Brokeback Mountain) is all things to all people as a messed up young woman having loads of problems dealing with relationships. Ms. Faris in recent years has had a spate of similar type roles and has a danger of being typecast here, like so many other actors.
Score cards aren’t only kept by horny teens trying to make out with chicks. A firm believer in women’s magazines, Ally gets caught up in a vicious circle of screw-ups that revolve around the number of men women are supposed to sleep with. To keep it simple, Ally has had a rather rambunctious past. Now that past is about to come back to haunt her as her younger sister Daisy is set to be wed. Last minutes jitters from Ari Graynor (Whip It) pale in comparison to the turmoil Ally encounters as she tries to search out her past lovers. Little does she know that a new stranger may further complicate her already “busy” life.
Motherhood Well Captured by Blythe Danner Here
Out of left field Colin Shea accidentally enters Ally’s already messed up world. Likeable Chris Evans (Cellular) coyly plays the stranger who somehow connects with Ally. Just how this comes about is too contrived and obscure to buy into which is one mark against this movie early on. While the two engage in a rather offbeat friendship matters are further complicated by the woman’s overbearing mother Ava who only wants the best for her daughter. Perfect casting by way of Blythe Danner (Little Fockers) adds more oomph to the proceedings as the big wedding day approaches.
Danger of Typecasting May Haunt Anna Faris in this Mild Romance
Raunchy at times, sincere at others, director Mark Mylod (Ali G India House) comes up with a light-weight romance that ultimately you buy into. Faris is a very good comedienne and some of the zany situations she finds herself in are entertaining. It’s a hit and miss affair as this girl’s topsy turvy world continues to confuse just about everyone. Unfortunately, like so many other formula Hollywood movies, you can spot the ending in What’s Your Number? a mile away, which detracts from its ultimate impact.
Robert Waldman - Hi. I'm a film critic from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, considered to be the number one city in the world and third largest film ...
