This Means War

This Means War is a 2012 romantic comedy spy film directed by McG, director of Charlies Angels and Terminator Salvation. The film is about a love triangle in which two CIA agents find out that they're dating the same woman. The film stars Reese Witherspoon as Lauren Scott, a singleton who attempts to be promiscuous and date two men at the same time, spurred on by her painfully honest friend Trish, played by the hilarious Chelsea Handler. Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play Lauren's love interests, CIA agents deployed to Hong Kong to capture a Russian gangster. 

The films cast is likeable, funny and charismatic, and Chelsea Handler shines as Trish. Handler ad-libbed most of her lines in this role, and thus creates a character who is real, and unclichéd. It is particularly refreshing to see Tom Hardy, who is known for playing dark brooding characters in such films as The Dark Knight Rises, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Lawless. It is highly refreshing to see a film which is light, fluffy and enjoyable. Pine and Hardy have great chemistry, and somehow are convincing as best friends. Only Witherspoon fails to stray very far from the ditzy blonde romantic comedy figure she created as Elle Woods in 2001's Legally Blonde.

The film has an interesting premise, a woman decides that she needs to date more, and enters into relationships with two men, not knowing that the men know each other. The men then discover that they are dating the same woman and decide that they must let her decide, they eventually use CIA equipment and resources to spy on each other and her, to gain an advantage and to put the other at a disadvantage. Hilarity ensues with each character going to greater and greater lengths to out do the other.

Part of the far reaching appeal of this movie is that it appeals to both men and women, the romantic comedy aspect of the film will appeal to women, and the loud action scenes will appeal to men, however part of the problem with this film is that it fails to appeal to either gender quite enough, the romantic comedy parts are too few and far between, and the film isn't nearly funny enough to appeal to die-hard comedy fans, and the action sequences are clumsily edited, and not hard hitting enough for hard-core action fans, leaving a film that both genders can tolerate, but that neither will perhaps enjoy, yet overall, an innofensive watch, which succedes due to its charismatic cast. Rating: B-

Trish: Don't choose the better guy, choose the guy that's gonna make you the better girl.