The House Bunny

Hello folks! It's been a while, but we've been busy.
I know it's an older movie, but I started the post a few months ago after I saw The House Bunny and in light of the fact that it is coming out on dvd soon (December 19th), I thought I'd write about it.

Another Happy Madison production that falls short of being funny beyond the trailer. The script is another creation from writing team Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, who brought you 10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, and She’s the Man. The script is not up to par with their previous writing efforts, but one thing these films all have in common is a very watchable cast.

The cast makes this movie worth watching. The ever entertaining Anna Faris is Shelly. She is once again a not so bright, but delightfully quirky character and is once again a delight to watch. However, her talent is slightly overshadowed by the slut-wear she has to don. Besides the fact that it’s enjoyable to watch her prance around in playboy bunny slut wear for an hour and a half, her charisma and natural magnetism are undeniable. Her charm and likeability are what hold the movie together.

Not to mention the increasingly popular up and comer Emma Stone, of Superbad fame, who is so convincing in her awkward portrayal of the nerdy sorority leader, audience members can feel her discomfort. Kat Dennings makes another appearance, in what is increasingly becoming her typical role, as the angsty teen. It is not surprising that she is as believable and interesting as she was in 40 Year Old Virgin and Charlie Bartlett.

What is surprising is Rumer Willis’s portrayal of Joanne. This is one girl who I wrote off as an actress only given jobs because of who her parents are (she is the eldest daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis), but after seeing how likeable she is, I have decided that it is magnetism rather than nepotism that got her the job.

Rumer Willis is not the only Hollywood spawn making an appearance in this film. Colin Hanks, son of Hollywood great Tom Hanks, plays Anna Faris’ love interest. I have to say this is my least favorite performance of his. He does not have his usual shy-guy appeal that makes him so loveable (though never quite as loveable as his father).

The plot of the movie is very similar to Sydney White. A group of college-age misfits and “losers” learn how to be comfortable being themselves from a hot chick who drops in and learns something about herself as well. It is also, at times, reminiscent of Legally Blonde, which was also written by Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz. A key difference between the two movies is that they did not make it so that the lead character is a smart girl who hides her intelligence to make her beauty stand out, as in Legally Blonde. The lead character in this movie is in fact stupid and instead of learning that brains are more important than people thinking you’re hot, the message in this movie is to embrace yourself and be who you are. In Shelly’s case, this means being stupid. It’s an interesting new take on the “be yourself” theme. It’s no It’s a Wonderful Life, but I’d say it’s inspiring.

While The House Bunny as a film is not very funny, the “house bunny”, Anna Faris is. The fact that a dull script doesn’t degrade Anna’s talent says a lot for her charisma. The story is predictable, the jokes are second rate, but the cast is amusing and, well, the girls are hot. Not a must-see, but if you’re bored and looking for something that doesn’t require a lot of brain cells, The House Bunny will pass the time.

~Maddie~