How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (15)

Directed by: Robert B.Weide
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges and Megan Fox

How does one go about losing friends and alienating people? Well, in the case of Simon Pegg, the best way to do so is to star in a film like this. With a catalogue of classic British comedies under his belt, including Shaun of the Dead and Run Fat Boy Run, what in the world possessed Simon to star in what in my opinion, is a British film that may as well be an American one?

Of course, the whole idea behind the film is that it makes fun out of America. But personally, I found this mickey-taking to be too subtle. For the majority of cinema goers, How to Lose Friends is just a typical fish-out-of-water story. Based on the 2001 memoir of Toby Young, the film tells the story of Sidney Young (Pegg), a wannabe celebrity journalist who dreams of making it big. When he gets the chance to work for New York lifestyle magazine “Sharps Magazine”, Sidney thinks that he’s through the door and into the world of beauty, glamour and the celebrity. But, as his boss Clayton Harding (Bridges) tells him, he’s only through the first door of many…

The film shows how Sidney moves up through the ranks, with the help of his colleague Alison Olsen (Dunst). But as Sidney begins to realise what the world of the celebrity is really like, will he choose to continue down that path? Even with the promised prize of famous young actress Sophie Maes (Fox), will Sidney still be bright enough to act on his principals and reject the lifestyle that is so easily in his reach? And will he recognise the true love that is staring him in the face?

This film has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and is sure to appeal to comedy fans and, of course, fans of Simon Pegg. But for the latter, the film is a bit of a disappointment. With its swanky New York setting and all-star American cast, How to Lose Friends feels more a typical Hollywood film than the clever, witty, British film I personally had hoped it to be. The idea of making fun of the Americans was too subtle and any jokes about life on the other side of the Atlantic were lost in translation.

All in all, I found the film to be funny, but nothing special. I’d recommend you see it if you fancy a laugh-out-loud comedy that doesn’t require too much concentration. Next time Simon, stick to films about good old Britannia.

All in all, I found the film to be funny, but nothing special. I’d recommend you see it if you fancy a laugh-out-loud comedy that doesn’t require too much concentration. Next time Simon, stick to films about good old Britannia.