Date Movie (2006)
83 min · Comedy
Marked the beginning of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer's notorious spoof-film factory, winning Razzies and establishing their template of pop-culture reference dumps.
The Bottom Reel's take
When we talk about movies that aim for the fences, *Date Movie* (2006) might not be the first title that springs to mind, but its ambition was, in its own way, sky-high. This was a film that swung for nothing less than satirizing an entire genre, the beloved romantic comedy, with a premise involving an awkward young woman undergoing a reality-show makeover to win her dream man. What we got, however, was less a sharp jab at rom-com conventions and more a broad, flailing slapstick performance that, for better or worse, launched an empire. It's the kind of cinematic endeavor that suggests a grand plan, only to reveal that the blueprint was written in crayon.
Clocking in at a brisk 83 minutes, *Date Movie* came into the world as a comedy, yet quickly established itself as a pioneer in a very particular niche of comedic filmmaking. This wasn't just another spoof; it was the genesis of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer's infamous template. We're talking about a style that prioritizes a rapid-fire succession of pop culture references over narrative cohesion or character development, a sort of cinematic scattergun where the hope is that if you throw enough jokes at the wall, some are bound to stick. Its critical reception was, let's say, less than stellar, with a 7/100 score that suggests most professional reviewers found it more baffling than brilliant. Even audiences, typically more forgiving, gave it a paltry 30/100, which is still remarkably low for a film clearly designed for mass appeal.
And yet, despite the critical drubbing and the dubious honor of ushering in a whole new era of "spoof-film factory" notoriety, *Date Movie* remains undeniably, unforgettably fun for the right kind of viewer. Its sheer commitment to its own peculiar brand of humor is almost admirable. It doesn't just embrace bad; it *celebrates* it, daring you to look away from its relentless onslaught of gags that often feel like they've been pulled from a late-night sketch show's discard pile. There's a certain texture to its badness – an earnest, almost innocent belief that referencing something popular is inherently funny – that makes it less cynical and more delightfully misguided. It’s like watching a train derail in slow motion, except the train is made of foam and everyone on board is laughing.
So, is *Date Movie* worth your precious Friday night? Absolutely, if you're prepared for what it is: a foundational text in the "so-bad-they're-good" canon. We recommend gathering your most sarcastic friends, arming yourselves with an array of comfort snacks (extra butter on the popcorn, obviously), and settling in for a ride. This isn't a film you analyze; it's a film you experience, preferably with a running commentary from your fellow connoisseurs of cinematic absurdity. It's not aiming for high art, or even medium art. It's aiming for pure, unadulterated, low-brow camp, and in that, it arguably succeeds beyond its wildest dreams.
Synopsis
An awkward young woman undergoes a reality-show makeover to win the man of her dreams in a parody of romantic comedy tropes.