Doctor at large

In these days of scarce humour, Hitch stands out

Heard about a "date doctor"? Well, he’s an improvement on the matchmaker, a sort of event manager whose main purpose is helping countless men to woo the women of their dreams. He does charge a fee for it, but that’s secondary, he loves his work. Hitch is all about this guy and his modus operandi.

Will Smith is Hitch, actually Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, and he’s supercool, making John Travolta in his last film look like an erupting volcano. Aided by a voice-over or commentary, he makes a royal entry, almost like Travolta’s in Saturday Night Fever. Hitch is anonymous and operates in New York.

"Ninety per cent of what you’re saying doesn’t come from the mouth," he tells one of his clients explaining the meaning of "body language," and Hitch has no dearth of clients. But the most bashful, awkward of them is Albert Bremamen (Kevin James), who’s fallen head over heels for glamorous celebrity-heiress Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta). But in offering him a helping hand he runs into gorgeous Latino gossip columnist Sara Melas (Eva Mendes) and then it’s date doctor, help thyself.

It is a good plot with the action running on more than one front. The manner in which he makes these "accidents" happen is quite amazing. The screenplay sparkles with delightful one-liners and Will Smith is able to put them across with elan and director Andy Tenant doesn’t make a meal of the hilarity. He is able to induce the right pauses and the fare is a good mix of intelligent lines and slapstick, with the bumbling Kevin James providing some of the early laughs.

Then you have Eva Mendes playing the usual afraid-of-involvement single woman. Hitch "arranges" a meeting, cleverly. Playing on negative-psychology, he is able to make inroads into her life. The zesty female seems to melt over the date doctor. They spend the night together but in separate couches. It’s his class she’s impressed with.

But before one can say ‘date doctor’, there’s a hitch, a pun quite accidental. Sara sees through the game and is furious. It coincides with Allegra’s falling out with Albert. It’s crisis time, but no need to worry, things will fall into place. The music by George Fenton is great and sets the tenor of the film with that Don’t know much about history... number.

There are dashes of suspense but all’s well that ends well with Will Smith very nearly stealing the show.

Eva Mendes is not far behind, not only liberally endowed with nature’s gifts physically but also histrionic skill and versatility. Amber Valletta and Kevin James make their presence felt but it is essentially the tempo and zing of this modern-day comedy that makes it so breezy and entertaining.

In Hollywood’s days of scarcity of good entertainment, Hitch stands out like a shining beacon. Don’t miss it. — E. E. M

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