Witty comic take

It is a clever plot and the script is littered with sparkling wit. There is a good blend of action and humour, writes Ervell E. Menezes

With Superman taking to the New York skies why shouldn’t a woman do likewise. Catwoman is not counted; she merely climbs. So, enter Jenny Johnson, alias G. Girl (Uma Thurman), and her romantic liaisons are the subject of an irreverent, hilarious comedy, which goes by the name of My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

After all aren’t we in an age of equality of the sexes but even 50 years ago Annie Oakley sang, Anything you can do, I can do better. So when Jenny takes a yen for architect planner Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson), he little knows that it would be tough to ditch her. He may have heard of hell having no greater fury than a woman scorned but he doesn’t know the extent of that fury.

But Matt does the inevitable and the wrath of Jenny is what My Super Ex-Girlfriend is all about. Co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris) learns the hard way what it is to displace Jenny while Matt’s sidekick Vaughn (Rainn Wilson) keeps offering him amorous advice. Prof Bedlam/Barry (Eddie Izzard), who has an old score to settle, rounds off the list of key characters.

Like Zorro, Superman and others of their ilk, Jenny has two personas, one a gallery assistant and the other of the high-flying saviour who takes leave of her date and returns within a matter of minutes. But she is still looking for Mr Right and that’s when she runs into Matt.

It is a clever plot and the script by Don Payne of The Simpsons fame is littered with sparkling wit. But there is a good blend of action and humour, thanks to director Ivan The Ghostbuster Reitman’s deft handling. Unlike many of these Hollywood products, this is compact, just over 100 minutes and doesn’t lose its way after the halfway mark.

Uma Thurman, fresh from her action avatar in the Kill Bill films is getting to relish this new genre and though her histrionic skills are not best used (like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider) guess they have a right to try a new genre in an effort to avoid type-casting. Anna Faris and Eddie Izzard lend adequate support but it is Rainn Wilson as the sidekick who walks off with the best lines.

It’s irreverence with a capital I. And the take-off on Jaws is howlarious. There is also a hint at our own "palangtod." So My Super Ex-Girlfriend is well worth meeting.