The Hot Chick

On a recent episode of South Park, Rob Schneider wakes up one day and eats a pot roast which contains the spirit of dear departed Kenny and then, with the boy’s spirit inside him, is forced to live the life Kenny led, including wearing that constrictive orange parka and being impaled by a flag pole. The bit was tacked on the end of the episode and only lasted about one minute or so, but that tiny bit was at least a million times funnier than Mr. Schneider’s new film, The Hot Chick. At its core, Chick has what could be an amusing premise: a cute and popular, but mean-spirited, teenager (Rachel McAdams) wakes up in the body of a older, less cute, and unpopular man (Rob Schneider), then must find a way to get out of his body and back into hers. The problem with the execution is that all the elements on display here add up to a horrid mess of a film.

There are many problems with this film and not the least of them is that the script is unfocused and unfunny. When it cannot ring enough juice out its main plot, it throws in jokes about racial stereotyping and flatulent parents. Woo-hoo! Now that’s FUNNY! There are times when you think maybe they were aiming for an R rating, but thought nobody would pay to see it if it wasn’t PG-13. How else can one explain Jessica’s foray into stripping and prostitution when she and Schneider switch bodies? Even the actors aren’t on the same page. While Schneider’s shamelessly mugging for the camera in a serious of Jessica’s midriff-bearing, hot pink outfits, his best friend/love interest, April (Anna Farris of Scary Movie fame), is serious as a heart attack, acting as if she just arrived from the boards of London’s West End. Ms. Farris, I know this is how you have to pay the rent, but Shakespeare this ain’t. The rest of the female cast channel pale imitations of the girls from Heathers, except the dialogue isn’t nearly as good.

You may be tempted to rent this mess when it arrives on video rather than pay $9.00 for it in theatres, but I would suggest going a bit further down in the comedy section to look for All of Me, a clever and funny twist of Chick’s premise which features flawless performances from Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, two people who actually are funny. And don’t feel too bad for Schneider: South Park hasn’t replaced Kenny yet. Maybe he should give that show a call. It might do wonders for his career.

Submitted 19 January 03. Posted 29 January 03.