Humor makes" Someone Like You" worthwhile

by Lauren Gross
Staff Writer

In examining barnyard romantics, there is no way to get a bull to "do" the same cow twice. You can change the look and scent of the old cow, but the bull's not fooled: she's a has been. The premise of Someone Like You is based on this theory relating men to bulls, women to cattle, and why men move on to new cattle.

Jane Goodale (Ashley Judd) is a successful, bright young girl who is the overall definition of the word "cute." She is a talent booker for a national talk show. When Ray Brown (Greg Kinnear) is hired as the new producer for the show, Jane quickly finds a new friend in him.

Though Jane knows Ray has a girlfriend, they eventually speed their friendship into relationship mode. Jane couldn't be happier as she plans on moving in with Ray, but the good times don't last. As someone else leases Jane's apartment, Ray breaks off their relationship and Jane is left with nowhere to go.

In an attempt to make Ray jealous, Jane moves in with her womanizing coworker, Eddie Alden (Hugh Jackman). The living situation works out fine since neither Jane nor Eddie has any romantic interest in the other. Jane allows her broken heart to take over her life and becomes obsessed with finding out why men do what they do.

Through books, journals and observations, she is clued into the male psyche, but is left even more confused. She studies and analyzes Eddie while he continuously delivers his pick up lines and one night stands to other women. Jane concludes that men can best be compared to the mating styles of our interesting barn-yard friends, bulls. This theory ends up causing more questions then answers and Jane is left more confused than before.

The film is based on the Laura Zigman novel Animal Husbandry. Though the script is unrealistic and has limited film direction and cheap character development, Someone Like You is surprisingly funny in random and quirky ways that would embarrass anyone if it happened to them.

The acting is fresh and witty. Judd takes a break from her dramatic acting to portray the feel-good (...that it's not you) character of Jane. Jackman, best known for the character of Wolverine in X-Men, brings the same beastly charm to the character of Eddie.

This is a film that pokes fun at both men and women. Very few people have the classic beauty of Judd, the suave style of Jackman, or the innocent boyish charm of Kinnear. Still, if you've ever been the heartbroken girl, the heartbreaker, the womanizer or the hopeless romantic, you can relate to this story. As long as you're up for light mindless entertainment, this film will suffice.