The fall of Ben Stiller

What happened to Ben Stiller? Has he run out of funny or is he unable to pick a funny role? These are the sorts of questions I asked myself while watching the new Farrelly brothers' disaster "The Heartbreak Kid." Not only does the movie miss on all cylinders, I think I left the theater dumber than when I came. \nThe movie begins with Eddie Cantrow (Ben Stiller), single and lonely at 40, unable to commit to any relationship. Then he meets Lila (Malin Akerman), who seems perfect for him. He marries her only six weeks after he meets her and goes on his honeymoon in Mexico, where he finds the girl he really loves in Miranda (Michelle Monaghan). The plot not only feels formless, it drags about half an hour beyond what should have been its completion point. The final half hour is the movie's real descent, as it becomes more and more ridiculous, ruining any substance it had before. \nWhy is "The Heartbreak Kid" such a disaster? First, the movie only reaches for cheap laughs, whether by repeating jokes or being unnecessarily raunchy. In the past, the Farrelly brothers have succeeded with raunchy jokes, such as the ever-famous hair-gel scene in "There's Something About Mary." But here the dirty comedy is cheap and leaves the viewer uncomfortable (I could have done without the hairy girl peeing down Stiller's back). Also, Stiller is playing a recycled character, a hybrid of Reuben from "Along Came Polly" and Ted from "There's Something About Mary." Either his brand of comedy has gone stale or he needs to hire a more creative agent. \nBut above all else, the movie's plot is what really kills it. It's the sort of script that got produced only because it's a reteaming of Stiller and the Farrellys. I know this is a remake of a '70s classic, but the Farrellys pushed the script into the zone of ridiculousness when they added the gross-out comedy. \nThe movie does have two redeeming qualities, however. Rob Corddry's supporting role as friend and whipped husband Mac serves up some laughs, and the film's soundtrack includes the likes of Bruce Springsteen, the Flaming Lips and a whole lot of David Bowie. \nOther than that, the movie simply disappoints with its lack of laughs and its atrocious plot.