WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER
(R)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
Every now and then, a movie comes out that really isn’t that good, but the stars are so charming that it raises the quality of the production to a likeable level. This is exactly what happens with “What’s Your Number?”
The story follows a woman (Anna Faris) living in Boston who just can’t seem to find Mr. Right. She reads in a magazine that if the number of men she’s slept with reaches twenty, it will become impossible for her to find a husband. Realizing that her number is at the limit, she starts to track down all of her ex-boyfriends in an attempt to rekindle a relationship. Along for the ride is her womanizing next door neighbor (Chris Evans), who uses his detective skills to find her exes while she helps him hide from women leaving his apartment the morning after his one night stands.
“What’s Your Number?” is a very basic romantic comedy, only with a lot of profanity and sex talk thrown in to make itself relevant and edgy in today’s marketplace. This has been a go-to position for some rom-coms since movies like “Knocked Up,” “Friends with Benefits” and “Bridesmaids” have blown up at the box office. Sometimes such movies are godawful (like “The Ugly Truth”), and sometimes they work. Here, it works, but not because of the writing, story or characters.
“What’s Your Number?” rests mostly on the adorable shoulders of Anna Faris, who is just so darn cute in her performance that I tended to forget all the movies foibles (of which there are many, from annoying side characters to logical and chronological inconsistencies). If Jennifer Lopez or Katherine Heigl starred in this movie, I probably would have clawed my eyes out. The appeal of the lead actress goes a long way.
Helping Faris along is Chris Evans, who is equally charming (though not quite the full focus of the story). Still, if his role had gone to Matthew McCaughnehey or Patrick Dempsey, more eye-clawing would have surely ensued.
Not all the jokes are original, including the opening scene which mirrors the opening scene of “Bridesmaids.” However, it’s still a fun movie. And the raunch factor isn’t off the charts, which can make it a decent date movie if you’re in a pinch.
The Blu-ray comes with the theatrical cut and the extended cut, which adds several scenes that actually improve the movie’s flow and cast. There’s also a cute gag reel and a slate of deleted scenes, including some date flashbacks.