Anthony's Film Review - Heartbreakers (2001)

Sexy female duo light up the screen, creating an amusing and romantic comedy...

To all the men reading this, here's something I'm sure would annoy the hell out of you. Let's say you finally get married to this gorgeous woman, and after the wedding, you carry her to the hotel room. You're in a real hurry because she whispers some really dirty stuff in your ear. You even have trouble getting the hotel room keycard into the slot (apologies for the suggestive wording). Then there's a moment where you have to use a knife just to get her wedding dress off. And finally, just as you're ready to make love, she falls asleep on you. To make matters worse, you go back to work and get seduced by this really hot young chick. In the process of her getting into your pants, her hair gets stuck, and the wife catches you with her. Then you lose a whole lot of money in a divorce settlement.

The poor unlucky guy I'm referring to here is Dean Cumanno (Ray Liotta). The wife is Max Conners (Sigourney Weaver) and the young girl is actually her daughter, Paige (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Both ladies are quite irresistible. They use their looks to their advantage as they find ways to get money dishonestly. The divorce scheme is just one of many cons they have successfully pulled off. With this behind them, the mother-daughter con artist duo go on a hunt to find their next victim.

Max soon finds the perfect victim. William Tensy (Gene Hackman) is a really old guy with a lot of money. Putting two and two together, the opportunity for quick cash is there: inheritance after death. By taking on the role of a Russian woman with a fake accent, she tries to win his heart. The only problem is that he's a heavy smoker, and he has to die after the wedding, not before. Meanwhile, Paige finds a guy named Jack Withrowe (Jason Lee). He could be someone to con, but it turns out they like each other. This isn't fake love to get a guy's wallet. This really is love, or so it seems.

Throughout this plot, there were plenty of scenes that made me laugh. The humor is often sexual, but not the overly gross-out kind. I liked the scenes involving Ray Liotta in the hotel room, Gene Hackman coughing, and Jennifer Love Hewitt purposely falling down just to get free hotel room service. They're funny not just because they're surprises out of nowhere, but also because they're so spontaneous. The actors seem to be well in their roles that they're not trying to be funny. Just by playing their parts, they're making us laugh. And besides the comedy, the romantic part of the film is good, too.

There are many films that feature sexy actresses, but this is one where the stars are also smart and funny. I'm not just referring to Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt. The rest of the cast, from Ray Liotta to Gene Hackman, also do a wonderful job. The script is original and creative without following movie clich�s or recycling plot ideas. It involves something new and takes it down interesting directions. For a film that will make you smile, Heartbreakers is a decent choice.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Heartbreakers, visit the Internet Movie Database.