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Single women tend to live under a lot of pressure. Once they reach a certain age (where I’m from, that age is about 22 or 23), they’re expected to settle down and start a family. If that doesn’t happen, people begin to wonder what’s wrong. That speculation eventually begins to rub off, as it does with the frantic heroine in the outrageous rom-com What’s Your Number?
Anna Faris stars as Ally Darling, a single girl who’s spent much of her life going from one dead-end relationship to another. While her younger sister, Daisy (Ari Graynor), is planning a wedding, Ally finds herself newly single and newly unemployed. To make matters worse, on the train to Daisy’s engagement party, she reads an article in a women’s magazine, claiming that the average woman has 10.5 lovers in her lifetime. After a quick tally (and a drunken one-night stand with her ex-boss), Ally is horrified to discover that her number is already 20.
When she’s told that any woman who’s been with more than 20 men is less likely to find a husband, she decides that her only hope is to revisit her exes—with some help from her especially amorous neighbor, Colin (Chris Evans)—to find the one she’s supposed to marry.
Like most chick flicks, What’s Your Number? fits neatly into the usual formulas—and it doesn’t take long to figure out how the whole story is going to play out. Still, that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. Faris has never been quite as adorable as she is playing the frustrated single girl. In most films, she tends to crank up the physical comedy while overplaying the blonde airhead stereotype. This time, however, she’s just a normal girl—one who’s struggling to find Mr. Right in an endless sea of Mr. Wrongs. She’s surrounded by a great supporting cast—from a lovable Evans as the good-natured playboy across the hall to a wacky ensemble of exes: struggling magicians, nerdy puppeteers, and aspiring politicians.
The comedy, meanwhile, is appropriately outrageous for a chick flick. While some recent rom-coms (I’m lookin’ at you, Bridesmaids) try to push the envelope as much as possible, loading up on sophomoric, excrement-filled comedy, What’s Your Number? is a girls’ movie that’s outrageous without being obnoxious. The humor might sometimes catch you off-guard, but it probably won’t make you cringe (or at least not often).
Underneath the film’s wacky comedy, there’s also an underlying message about the different expectations placed on single men and women. While Ally is concerned about the reputation she’ll get for sleeping with too many men, Colin proudly brings home a new girl every night. While Colin’s simply having fun—just being a guy—Ally is worried about snagging the right guy (even if he’s not exactly the right guy for her). It’s the kind of story that just about any girl over that certain age will be able to understand.
Message aside, though, What’s Your Number? is a fluffy but fun chick flick. The lovable cast and plenty of outrageous encounters will help you easily overlook the predictable plot, making it a worthwhile pick for girls’ movie night.
Blu-ray Review:
The Ex-tended Edition Blu-ray release of What’s Your Number? includes two versions of the film: the original theatrical release and an additional extended (and unrated) version. With two full movies filling up the disc, there isn’t a whole lot of room left for extras. But the disc still features eight deleted scenes, including a number of additional ex-boyfriend flashback scenes (and lots of Anna Faris dancing), as well as a surprisingly lengthy gag reel (which features even more dancing). They aren’t must-see extras, but if you loved the flashbacks, you want to give the deleted scenes a look.
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