Bruce Bennett Short Bio

Bruce Bennett

Bruce Bennett has been the primary contributor to Mad About Movies since it began in 2003. He is an award winning film and theater critic who, since 2000, has been writing a weekly column in The Spectrum daily newspaper in southern Utah as well as serving as a contributing editor of “The Independent,” a monthly entertainment magazine. He is also the co-host of “Film Fanatics” a movie review show which earned a Telly in 2009. Bruce is also a featured contributor at: RottenTomatoes.com

His motto: "I see bad movies so you don't have to."

Over Her Dead Body

“Over Her Dead Body” and Parker’s botched debut

Speaking of dead, though she’s received top billing because of her TV popularity on “Desperate Housewives,” Eva Longoria Parker’s acting career may be just that, dead, upon the arrival of her lead role debut in “Over Her Dead Body.”

The model and aspiring actress that is married to San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker in this feeble attempt at a romantic comedy appears too tanned, too skinny, and so fragile that she might break in two like a chicken bone if she has to make any sudden movements in the tight dresses she’s asked to wear.

Like so many rom-coms, “Over Her Dead Body” begins and ends with a wedding and that’s just one of the worn out formula clich?s that the film recycles. Longoria Parker is Kate who dies on her wedding day and comes back to haunt the pretty psychic Ashley (Lake Bell) who’s been hired by her fianc?’s sister (Lindsay Sloane) to try to get the sad sack Henry (Paul Rudd) out of the funk he’s been in since he’s betrothed untimely demise.

Naturally, Henry falls for Ashley-she’s nothing like the bitchy Kate-and hilarity is supposed to ensue as the ghostly Kate does everything in her power to prevent the two from falling in love.

Rudd (“The Shape of Things”) can make even the most common of tired one liners funny with his deadpan sarcasm so while he’s on the screen the film is tolerable. Newcomer Bell has potential though here she often seems like a recent graduate of the Nickelodeon school of overacting. Jason Biggs (“American Pie”) also stars as Ashley’s purportedly gay assistant and while an early slapstick scene provokes light chuckles, his character amounts to little until the unsurprising revelation near the film’s end. Sloane shows some sparkle in her scenes, with better material she’s an actress to watch.

When the film resorts to an extended flatulation scene for comic relief and the scene actually provides some because of the dearth of anything truly witty-one wonders if perhaps our expectations were set too high.

Yep, that’s it.

Grade: C-
Rated PG-13 (Sexual situations, profanity)

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