Alex Hitchens is the date doctor, a specialist who hopeless guys hire to help get them the girl of their dreams. His latest challenge is Albert Brennaman, a man who is about as cool as Elmer Fudd playing a gangster rapper. As it turns out, that’s only half the dilemma, as Hitch is starting to run into some relationship problems of his own (and no, it’s not that he can’t “get it up” in bed).

The biggest setback with most date flicks is that they are more for the ladies than the guys, but that isn’t the case with HITCH. Not only is it extremely clever and funny, but it also appeals to practically everyone. A lot of this rides on the natural charm and charisma of Will Smith, who is perfectly balanced alongside the other great players, such as the sexy Mendes and comically dorky James. (It was also nice to see Smith doing something other than “bust a cap in a guy’s ass” for a movie) Much of the humor is slapstick, but the combination of witty writing and wonderful acting make all the jokes go off without a hitch (I know, I know – you don’t even have to say it). For a movie like this, the most important aspect is that it’s consistently entertaining, and in that regard, HITCH earns a perfect five.

No romantic comedy is complete without a sentimental, clichéd ending, and this is where HITCH falters. Towards the end (which should have been more snappy and less sappy), jokes seemed to come to an abrupt halt, while plenty of cheesy lines got spewed out. This is only a minor quarrel though, seeing as how I was bellyaching through the entire first hour, and my jaw needed a rest anyway. Besides, if you see the movie with a hot date, the final scenes give you some quality “make-out” time. The flick also works as a self-help dating guide, with plenty of quality pointers for guys to remember (just don’t look too deeply into it, because there’s a lot of bullshit too). Pretty much everything about this film worked for me, including the top-notch acting, the wide range of smart and lowbrow humor, the many terrific one-liners, the cute premise, and (most of all) imagining naughty thoughts about Eva Mendes. HITCH is an incredibly enjoyable 2-hour experience, and I encourage everyone to check it out.

Video: Presented in 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, mastered in High Definition. The transfer is gorgeous, with plenty of enjoyable New York scenery, and lush colors that are perfect for any romantic comedy.

Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround and French 2.0 Surround. Not really a deeply important concern, but the sound is great. No problems, nothing spectacular.

At first glance, the extras don’t seem very substantial, and in truth, they aren’t. However, this isn’t the type of movie that really needs great special features, but the stuff we do get is not bad by any means. In fact, they are perfectly suited extras that do well to entertain, just as the movie does. Had there been a commentary though, I think I would’ve been sold.

Gag Reel (3:49): Pretty funny, but it’s so fast you get barely any time to just sit back and laugh. It’s still great to watch Smith, Mendes, and James having fun though. Check it out.

Deleted Scenes (14:06): There are three scenes, but the final one is just an isolated musical track. The first scene is the most noteworthy and adds a bit more depth to the movie (and even gets a introduction from the director), while the second is just sort of funny, although understandably cut.

Featurettes:

• Dance Steps Made Easy (8:17): A slightly overlong but entertaining featurette that focuses more on being funny than informing, but that’s the point. Check it out to see various aspects of James’ riotous dance scene.
• Love in New York (6:48): Only interesting if you enjoy the New York experience, as there is a lot of tidbits and shots of on-location shooting. Anyone who admired the visual side to HITCH is sure to enjoy this.
• Hitch Style (6:33): I don’t really admire costume design in movies like these, but people who do should enjoy this. It essentially portrays how the characters are developed in large part through the way they’re dressed, and how they change throughout the movie in the same sense.
• The Dating Experts (11:21): This is basically a bunch of “experts” from the dating scene agreeing with Hitch’s many sayings throughout the movie. Hey, you’ve seen the movie, so what’s the point of hearing it all again (confirmation maybe?).
• Will Smith’s Red Carpet Race (3:52): This pleasantly short extra lets us watch Smith try to break the record with most amount of public appearances in 12 hours.

I watched this movie three times in one week and still found it hilarious, so bonus points go toward its re-watch value. It isn’t any classic, but it’s damned entertaining and that’s what matters. The extras are decent, particularly if you don’t mind them being fairly standard, but it’s the movie you should be focusing on. Sure, the flick is just fluffy fun, but it’s the best fluffy fun you’ll find out right now, so be sure to nab a copy at your local video store.