A Guy Thing (2003) User Reviews

Rather mediocre romantic story.

[insomniac_rod · 5/10 · 16 March 2009]

Typical chick flick that should be enjoyed only by teens. There is not much to comment about this effort that could easily pass as a b-movie effort.

The plot tries to be different from some other efforts of it's time but to be honest I didn't think it was a genre definer or a movie that should be kept in order to show it to anyone else!.

The acting by Julia Stiles is wooden but it helps that she's pretty. Selma Blair is sexy as always but her character didn't help that much. Jason Lee always works for these kind of movies but the plot didn't help him either.

So there you go, this is a mildly-entertaining, not clever or witty, but "ok-time killer" for those who enjoy regular almost mediocre romantic comedies.

Watch it only if it airs on cable. I did that! I didn't spend a single dollar on it and I'm proud about it.

Funny and simple, decent entertainment.

[mr_lefebvre · 6/10 · 18 January 2003]

A Guy Thing was very funny, not intellectual humor, but just simple, fun humor. Jason Lee is hilarious as always and needs to keep searching for that role that is gonna make him a huge name. Julia Stiles is the definition of cute, anything that stars her is bound to do well. I was most impressed with Selma Blair, she has had many roles over the last few years, and she is a very talented actress and needs to go after some bigger lead roles; she has great potential. The story for A Guy Thing is very predictable (if you saw the trailer, you know the movie already,) but go see it for laughs, it really is a good time:)

If only you had a chance with a girl's cousin

[freakfire-1 · 6/10 · 1 October 2008]

Maybe this is every man's dream? To have a one night drunken fling with your fiancé's cousin? Or so you think. Turns out, it becomes a headache to keep it concealed for long.

Enter panties left at the scene of the crime and everything just snowballs. From enraged police officers to wearing a wire for the FBI to bust such an officer, the movie takes one problem and turns it into multiple ones for the main character.

Like many 90s films of this genre, however, this one also has a happy ending. Sort of. But this one is unique that it has two love triangles in one. But I guess I am happy everybody else was happy.

Overall, the laughs were fairly good. So if you have a little time to kill, this will do the trick. "C+"

don't be fooled by bad reviews, this movie is fun, silly, and entertaining

[kcwells · 2 August 2003]

I just watched this movie for the first time and decided to check out what others thought. I was SOMEWHAT surprised by the 5.3 user rating (what it is at the time I'm writing this), but I was even more surprised by the number of awful reviews people have written for it! Seriously, at least half of them on here are ones saying it is "the worst movie" or some nonsense like that. That is highly untrue. Granted, as with almost every other romantic comedy bar a select few, the plot of this movie isn't the most original ever written. However, this movie is quite fun and entertaining. It was silly and cute, and made me laugh a lot. The acting is all pretty decent, and Jason Lee does an excellent job in his role. I'm not saying this is the best movie ever invented, but it was definitely a fun, cute, funny and entertaining movie that I would recommend to anyone in need of an hour and forty minutes of entertainment. The only thing I hate about the plot (and other movies like this) is that the innocent fiance gets mildly screwed over. I hate when that happens in movies. Poor girl. Haha, anyway, rent this movie for a laugh and a fun time. Enjoy! 6.5/10, 7/10 maybe

This is a brutally unfunny film

[shawnshawn · 1/10 · 21 January 2003]

I think Jason Lee has huge potential, but this was the WRONG vehicle in which to attempt to break out as a star. The plot is awful, the comedy is awful. I laughed twice, I think for relief, because in retrospect, they were fairly lame jokes. I found myself scared for the future of Fletch, and had to console myself that it was the film that was flawed, not Lee.

Julia Stiles and Selma Blair are hot, but I recommend looking at the still photos on this website to figure that out, instead of this film. Save your time. 1 star.

Good Plot, Good Cast, Okay Movie.

[Cady_Star34 · 7/10 · 21 January 2014]

A Guy Thing is a very… Interesting movie. Although it has a great plot, there is something lacking. This could be the cheesy music used at inappropriate times or the 'comic' imaginary sequences. If you did end up watching this movie out of curiosity, interest or boredom then you will find this and uplifting comedy. On the other hand you might just find that watching it was a waste of time. However it does have the basis of a great movie, there's a good cast and a fairly decent ending. But be warned you need to have an open mind when watching this movie, especially if you are expecting a life changing comedy, because you might end up being disappointed. Also be warned some of the comedy is crude and lacks in morals, but this is one of the highlights of the movie, so ensure you turn your sense of humor on.

Disappointing

[ocfam2 · 1/10 · 31 January 2003]

Julia Stiles is a talented young actress, who with guidance from a reputable agent has a lot of potential. Obviously, the person who guided her into this travesty is not someone who cares anything about her career. I sat in the theater surrounded by teenagers who left in droves to find another movie to sneak into wondering who thought this movie would appeal to anyone. It was poorly written, the casting director could only have put 1 or 2 minutes of effort into the characters and the director obviously didn't care.

Julia Stiles makes it worth seeing

[rbverhoef · 6/10 · 22 February 2004]

Sometimes the story of a movie is so predictable only a one or two things can save a that movie. 'A Guy Thing' is one of those movies. You can see every single little thing in the story from miles, which is not a surprise with a movie that has its big climax on a wedding where people realize certain things. I have just told you everything you already know before you start watching. Luckily for this movie it has one or two things that save it.

Minor spoilers.

The first thing I liked are the little jokes that do work and the second thing I liked is the actress that makes those little jokes work. Julia Stiles is Becky, the cousin of Karen (Selma Blair) who will soon be married to Paul (Jason Lee). After his bachelor party he wakes up next to Becky, he doesn't know yet who she is, but apparently they have not slept together. Normally they would never see each other again, but she turns up once or twice even before Paul learns that she is Karen's cousin. Because Becky's ex-boyfriend, a cop, had Becky followed and photographed Becky and Paul have to meet again to solve this problem. From here on, and actually from the first second of the movie, you can predict what happens. Because Karen is not a bad girl she can not be the victim of Paul and Becky so the movie gives her Paul's brother Pete (Thomas Lennon) who loves her with all his heart, so we guess (and we're right, of course).

In a way have told you the entire story, but you already knew it. I have left out some funny surprises, but we must not look at the story here. Like every comedy it has some nice jokes, which helps the movie, but the best thing here is Julia Stiles. I liked her in most of her other movies but here I really loved her. She was charming, beautiful and funny. Jason Lee as the guy in this story is a pretty nice match. Selma Blair plays a character she plays a little too much. She does a nice job so I must not complain. If you want story and surprises, don't watch this. If you can like a movie for the charming leading actress and the little moments she has with the guy you might like this more than you think.

Painfully Unfunny.

[PurplePanther · 1/10 · 23 May 2005]

What a terrible, TERRIBLE, film! One of the worst movies I have seen in my life. I usually love movies like this, the whole "A guy meets an eccentric woman who he likes, but he happens to already be involved with someone, who not right for him....". I expected something predictable and I didn't mind. The movies are always entertaining mixing the right amount of romance with comedy, but not this one! Every single joke falls flat and the "romance" makes me want to vomit. The title character is one of the most "please kill me" characters that I have ever witnessed on my television, the "eccentric woman" isn't very eccentric, more like quirky and annoying. The "other someone" is the most reasonable, mature person in this film but also happens to be just as annoying. This films flat out sucks, there's no way around it, don't waste your time.

Way more funny than expected

[killasin32 · 6/10 · 24 June 2003]

SPOILERS

There were many parts in this film that made me laugh, that i didnt expect to be in this movie. One specific part was the crabs, the whole situation, from the store to the presentation in his office were extremly funny. Also i found the preacher during the wedding to be a hilarious part. The only thing that knocked down the movie for me was the amount of predictability that it possessed at the end of the movie. It was known that Julia Stiles would marry Paul, and that Pauls brother would marry Pauls Fiancee. Other than that this movie was fun for an hour and 40 minutes.

By the numbers

[ctomvelu1 · 4/10 · 7 September 2010]

A much as I like Jason Lee,this is a brain-dead, incredibly derivative date movie that has been done dozens of times before. I really wonder who goes to see these things. Lee plays his usual hapless schmo who wakes up to find a naked blonde (Stiles) in his bed on the morning after his bachelor party. His fiancée (Blair) is on the way over to his apartment at that very moment, f course. I suspect you do not need to have me say anything more about the plot. The moment we see Stiles and Blair, we know where this is going. The lowest of low points in this bogus comedy is when Lee tries to explain away Stiles' panties, which Blair finds in his toilet tank. As he haltingly tells her that he bought them for her, she buys his explanation, and at that point, I wanted to crawl under my couch and die. The wedding finale is similarly cringe-inducing. Blair, a decent-enough actress, is such a pretty young thing to be wasted in such dreck. But then again, it's a paycheck. This is assembly-line movie-making that Hollywood should have given up making long ago. It's not even up to modern TV sitcom standards. I suspect the script was throw together by a roomful of monkeys taking turns typing on an old typewriter.

enjoyable movie with refreshing humour

[zeeshaan2 · 8/10 · 7 February 2006]

I happened to watch this movie by chance some days ago while flipping channels. My expectations were not very high but it was an interesting movie.In 'A Guy Thing', Jason Lee plays Paul, a straight-laced, Seattle-based fellow who is about to marry his fiancée Karen (Selma Blair) and settle down to an unchallenging life of middle-class domesticity. We first meet Paul at his bachelor party, where he professes no desire to engage in any of the normal bachelor party type activities his (surprisingly few) buddies encourage, in case he's a bit naughty and gets into hot bother with his soon to be trouble and strife. Of course, the next thing Paul knows, it's the morning after the night before, he's in bed with a naked hula dancer, and his mother-in-law phones to inform him that Karen is on her way over. Oh, and the hula dancer is Karen's cousin Becky (Julia Stiles).

From this small acorn of potential trouble grows a mighty oak of frenetic misfortune, as Paul scrabbles from misadventure to misadventure, trying to cover up what he's done whilst keeping up the appearance of being a dutiful, family-oriented good guy, who's super-excited about his forthcoming nuptials. His efforts to ensure Karen remains none the wiser about any potential wrong-doing on his part ironically forces Paul closer and closer to the fun-loving Becky, forcing him to question whether he really wants the life that seems to have been mapped out for him. The movie contains the right mix of comedy and romance. Definitely worth a watch.

A Stupid Thing

[Darkest_Rose · 6/10 · 4 June 2003]

On the night of his bachelor party, Paul(Jason Lee)wakes up the next morning beside a strange but beautiful tiki dancer Becky(Julia Stiles) who also happens to be his fiance's Karen(Selma Blair)cousin. That little incident makes Paul realize that maybe him and Karen aren't as perfect for each other as he thought. I tried to like this movie because I'm a big fan of Julia Stiles but it just didn't click in. Some of the jokes were funny but most of them were stupid and annoying, also there wasn't really a point to this story. I would give A Guy Thing 6/10.

Unfunny Mess...

[Thonolan3 · 1/10 · 27 January 2003]

This "movie" was dreadful, with no redeeming value whatsoever. Considering that I'm a big Jason Lee fan, I fully expected to enjoy it, but I couldn't. I gave up after watching an hour of this thing; it was juvenile and silly, with absolutely no humor. ...simply horrible....this deserves one star out of ten.

Silly and weakly plotted but reasonably funny and made more enjoyable by Lee's performance

[bob the moo · 10 June 2003]

Paul Coleman is a week away from marrying Karen when he wakes up next to a dancer he met at his stag do. He quickly ushers her out of the flat and hopes never to see her again. Sadly it is a matter of hours before he is introduced to her again as Karen's cousin Becky. Paul tries to make it to his wedding day without Karen finding out – an aim that is made more difficult by Becky's crazy ex-boyfriend, overzealous police and the complex web of lies Paul spins to cover himself.

On paper this film sounds awful and indeed almost every second of it is teetering on the edge of being an awful romantic comedy that goes just where you expect it to. The plot is simply daft – one contrived set piece after another that is increasingly stretched as the film goes on. It ends in just the way you know it will (despite how much I hoped it wouldn't or failed to see how it could) and it will infuriate many in regards just how silly it is.

However it is funny enough to cover the cracks. Much of the humour is instantly recognisable and made up of well known routines (Paul climbing out of the bathroom window) or physical comedy (some pratfalls along the way). Happily there is plenty of slightly off the wall humour that, although not new, is quite good. An example would be the `fantasy sequences' but my favourite bit is Paul sweet memories of a male dance teacher. The whole thing is very silly and you should prepare yourself for that, but it does just about have enough silly laughs to keep it going.

For me the number one reason I enjoyed this film was the performance of Jason Lee. At no point does he suggest that this is a serious film, in fact many times a silly scene was saved by the `what the f is going on' look on his face – a hint to us that he is in the film and he can't believe what's happening, so the audience should go with him. For the rest of the time he lends himself really easily to the type of humour and is able to raise the material a bit. He is a good lead here and keeps bits of his `Brody' from Mallrats to good effect. Stiles is awful in my opinion. She doesn't really act and seems to be trying too hard to do `kooky' – it doesn't work. She has so little screentime that I found it very hard to accept that Paul would get anything from her. Blair has a thankless role and she doesn't quite carry it off – like Stiles I felt that she was trying too hard and almost came across as a caricature. Maybe they were both led by Lee's knowing performance and responded in a bad way. Larry Miller is quite funny (but predictable) as the minister next door and Brolin is a surprising find as the father in law.

Overall this is a very silly film, based on one daft scene after another that leads to a predictable ending that simply doesn't make sense even using the logic of this type of film. However it is funny and a great performance by Jason Lee makes it more enjoyable than it probably should be.

Watch It On The Boring Weekend

[Mr_Sensitive · 5/10 · 6 February 2005]

I somewhat enjoy this film. Though the story is very unoriginal and what you called very predictable movie. Maybe because of its lightness and charming cast that actually saves this movie.

Anyway, there's nothing that you didn't know about the movie or how it is going to end since it is a typical romantic movie but overall this movie can actually make you watch it to the end with its cast of charming Julia Stiles and Selma Blair.

Overall this is just another feel good movie that actually make you feel good, as least for the first viewing and that will disappear from your head the coming week.

Rating: 5/10 (Grade: C-)

A Funny Thing

[Enchorde · 7/10 · 25 January 2009]

Recap: The morning after his bachelor party Paul is woken by his mother-in-law-to-be and discovers that there is a woman sleeping beside him. Unfortunately its a waitress from the bar, and not his fiancée. And suddenly she turns up everywhere... the toll booth at the freeway and at his parent-in-laws dinner. And it is hard to keep a secret when her jealous ex-boyfriend had him followed and photographed. It is not only about saving his wedding... it is about survival.

Comments: Actually much better than expected. Not the sweet romantic comedy I expected, but something much funnier, something with a little edge. This movie wasn't afraid to take the jokes a little further. And Jason Lee does now how to deliver comedy, especially when his character is half-panicked and deep in trouble, as he is here. And he got nice support from beautiful ladies Julia Stiles and Selma Blair. And actually I thought Lochlyn Munro did a nice part as the ex.

So, more emphasis on comedy than romance, and the end result was good. I enjoyed it very much.

7/10

Super-Bad Writers, Director, and Producers

[mickdansforth · 4/10 · 9 June 2006]

This movie has an Amazing Cast! Jason Lee, Selma Blair, and Julia Stiles, as well as all of the supporting cast, are all very talented and interesting.

The drivel they are given to work with is just sad. It is beyond bad. Predictable. Sappy. I groaned far more than I laughed.

Jason Lee proved he could do Romantic Comedies when he did Kissing a Fool. That was a much better movie.

I hope that the writers, producers, and director have plenty of time to hone their craft before they unleash another dud on an unsuspecting public.

This film is funny

[iwatcheverything · 6/10 · 22 September 2003]

I don't care what anyone else thinks I liked this film. It was both entertaining and funny. I admit it is unbelievable but why else to you go to the movies for then to be entertained. Your not always looking for reality.

Jason Lee is great once again in his role. Lee always does a great job with comedy and will probably keep making more movies like this one. Although I am not a big fan of Julia Stiles I did like her in this movie. It is a great break from her more dramatic roles.

All in all if you are looking for a pretty good time, this is a good film. Rent it and relax and get ready for some laughs.

This was bad...

[chubbylove · 2/10 · 2 April 2007]

This was one of the most boring movies I've ever seen… I don't really know why… Just your run-of-the-mill stories about guy who is about to get married, and starts to fancy someone else instead. Story has been told a thousand times. Nothing new or innovative about it at all.

I don't really know what was wrong with this film. Most of the time when these kinds of actors/actresses get together to make a film that have already been made a million times before, it's really entertaining. There are usually little clever thing in them that aren't really in any other. For some reason, this one just doesn't hold your attention. You can pick out some funny parts, or clever ideas in it, but for some reason they're just not funny, nor clever in any way… I wish I new how to explain it, but I don't… Just don't waste your time on this one

A Very Funny Comedy

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 20 May 2005]

On the night of his bachelor party, Paul Coleman (Jason Lee) meets the gorgeous dancer Becky (Julia Stiles) in the bar, they drink a lot together and in the next morning, he wakes up with her on the bed. His future mother-in-law calls him and informs that his fiancée Karen (Selma Blair) might be arriving in his apartment, and he desperately asks Becky to leave his place in a hurry. Sooner, he finds that her has crabs, and later, in the preparation of his wedding dinner party, he realizes that Becky is the cousin of Karen. This is the beginning of a very funny comedy, with hilarious situations. The first attraction of this movie certainly is the central trio of actresses and actor. Julia Stiles and Selma Blair, who are excellent actresses and extremely gorgeous, and Jason Lee, who is amazingly funny, have good performances. I laughed a lot along the story, but there are some scenes that are really hilarious. For example, when Paul finds Becky in his bed; when he finds her paints; his imagination in many situations; in the drugstore, trying to buy and get explanations about the crab medicine; most of the scenes of his neighbor, the minister; when Karen calls the department store; or when the police finds a suspect of assaulting Paul. I could number many other scenes, but better off the reader rent or buy this movie and have lots of fun. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil):"Louco Por Elas" ("Crazy For Them")

Never really makes it

[badajoz-1 · 3/10 · 14 April 2010]

With a decent cast, there should be something in this movie, but no, it fails to make the most of almost every situation. the jokes are few and far between, and most of the time you ask yourself - I should be laughing at this, but I am not. A remake of 'There's Something About Mary' is what is being attempted in tenor and style, but it just keeps failing. Jason Lee from TV can forget the big screen (it has certainly not let him back again since this was made!), while Julia Stiles and Selma Blair are going through the motions well enough as repeats of their characters from 'Ten Things..' and 'Legally Blonde.' But where was the snap and dazzle to make the most of the situation and characters - I mean how do you make mediocre when a groom wakes up with a strange girl in his bed after his bachelor party? probably most of it lies with Jason Lee, who is not Jack Lemmon or Michael J Fox, who fails to do anything with the farcical proceedings on screen. OTT comedy at times mixed with RomCom and it falls between both stools. Dire at times, but it drifts along!!!

Hilarious, witty, sexy, romantic, and totally beautiful chick flick that guys will also enjoy

[Catherine_Grace_Zeh · 10/10 · 29 November 2005]

In my opinion, A GUY THING is a hilarious, witty, sexy, romantic, and totally beautiful chick flick that guys will also enjoy. I thought that Jason Lee and Julia Stiles dazzled as a bewildered groom-to-be and his soon-to-be sexy cousin-in-law. If you ask me, they lit up the screen like magic. You can also feel their chemistry between them. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that the performances were top grade, the direction was flawless, the production design was nice, the casting was perfect, and the costumes were perfectly designed. In conclusion, to anyone who's a fan of Jason Lee or Julia Stiles, I recommend this movie. You're in for lots of laughs and thrills, so, go to the video store, rent it or buy it, kick back with a friend, and watch it.

Trivial but entertaining

[moritztiedje · 7/10 · 5 September 2009]

I think this movie got a low rating because it got judged by it's worst moments. There is a diarrhea joke and an embarrassing nut-scratching scene, but apart from that there are actually quite a few moments that made me laugh out loud. Jason Lee is performing some wonderfully subtle comedy in this movie and Julia Stiles manages to be pretty damn funny herself. Apart from that this movie behaves like most romantic comedies, after about 40 minutes into it you know how it is going to end. (Which is better than most of them, where you already know after +/- 5 minutes). Anyway, better movies to watch but definitely not the worst pick...Cheers

Awful

[mikecolucci · 2/10 · 1 June 2003]

The only redemption was the small part by Larry Miller. It seemed that the movie was trying too hard to be "Something About Mary," but I didn't even like that movie and it still fell short of those standards. The actor who plays Paul was great, but Selma Blair is stuck in the stupidity of her Cruel Intentions character. James Brolin was great, but Paul's father seemed like he was trying too hard to be the Randy Quaid character from the National Lampoon's Vacation movies.