Hilarity saves unlucky Chuck

“Good Luck Chuck,” starring Jessica Alba and Dane Cook, takes a step outside the box this month as a movie that is both colorful and unique among current box office choices.

Chuck (Dane Cook) was cursed in childhood to be the final stepping stone on the path to love for every woman he has ever dated. This never blips on Chuck’s radar until he meets a fanatical penguin-lover named Cam (Jessica Alba).

With the aid of his best friend Stu (Dan Fogler), Chuck begins a series of endeavors to see if his curse may be beneficial to others. While testing his supposed curse, Chuck becomes more and more convinced of his feelings for the accident-prone Cam.

While the uncomplicated plot walks a fine line with a cliché love story, the new comedic influence of Alba combined with the stylings of veteran comedian Cook bring a perverse humor that keeps audiences laughing.

“This movie allows Dane to bring his R-rated humor onto the screen in a way he never has before,” Alba said before the early screening.

Indeed, the movie is rated R, and the film is every bit deserving of the rating. The sexually-explicit humor therein merits caution on behalf of sensitive viewers. Scenes leave very little to the imagination, and younger audiences may find themselves obtaining an education their parents might prefer they go without.

While humor is plentiful, the acting felt a bit staged in places, and the plot was fairly predictable.

Alba’s first major venture into comedy felt somewhat slapstick. Audiences may be inclined to forgive her for this, especially with the influences of Cook and Fogler, who bring the movie back to passable levels of reality and humor.

The themes of love and loss in this film are ones that everyone may relate to in some way. While the message of the movie is less than novel, it is good enough.

All in all, “Good Luck Chuck” is a good laugh that portrays attractive stars in fresh comedic roles. What the plot lacks in innovation, the actors veil in noteworthy amusement.

Grade:B-