House Bunny, The DVD Review

"The House Bunny" reviews

DVD

The House Bunny

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-02-04 13:30:32

Provider

DVD Review

What's a girl to do when her lifelong ambition remains unrealised and she has to seek a new way to make a living?

Shelley's 27th birthday at the Playboy Mansion is followed by her unceremonious exit as she's told she's too old to become a centrefold! So, with little but her old wreck of a car, a smidgen of common sense and a whole heap of naivety she heads into Beverly Hills. Where, at the world's gloomiest sorority house, she gets appointed as the unlikeliest of House Mother's to a bunch of girls about to lose their home due to a lack of pledges.

Shelley believes her unique 'skills' could really help whip the girls into action, and make Zeta Alpha Zeta a happening place. She might get to discover men can have a depth previously unknown to her too.

Anna Faris is a great comedienne. She's also 'red hot' (guy-talk!). This means her appearance can sometimes wipe out half her audience by getting her labelled a bimbo. Unfair! - wholly unfair! Remember: Acting is easy, comedy is hard. She brings on the laughs with dead-on deadpan one-liner delivery, quality slapstick and still has plenty of talent to be the foil for other performers to shine.

Admittedly, The House Bunny is stretching belief when a bunch of anti-babes transform into the uber-set of the college overnight. And is it still necessary for girls to wear very little to be popular? Even if this is a latecomer to the Girl Power party, as it's 'on their terms'

A strong ensemble cast - including Emma Stone (Superbad), Katherine McPhee (the American Idol contestant's debut), Rumer Willis - keep the girls characters under all the eyeliner alive and a extol a real camaraderie. That's borne out by the surprisingly massive number of featurettes giving us a rare behind the scenes glimpse of this type of film - fascinating and fun (Though why's everyone calling Anna, 'Onna'?)

A clear cut case of a sweeter, softer feel-good comedy. It has much in common with the more sensitive, thoughtful Role Models from Paul Rudd (they'd make a good double act). It offers you more than just cleavage and belly laffs, so forget the tacky sleeve: It's a film for guys and girls who like to have fun, and have an open mind.