Mr. Right

Writer Max Landis, director Paco Cabezas, and stars Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick work much too hard here trying to persuade viewers that Mr. Right is a clever and cute movie, but this attempt to meld a romantic comedy with an action thriller ultimately fails. Kendrick plays Martha, who goes into an emotional tailspin when she discovers that her boyfriend is cheating on her. She bumps into Francis (Rockwell), a wild and crazy guy who also happens to be a super-skilled hitman. After a sort of epiphany, Francis has taken to killing the people who hire him rather than the intended victims. Of course, the two fall madly for one another, and just as predictably the course of love does not run smooth, because Francis's old partner (Tim Roth), posing as an FBI agent, is out to terminate him (as are scads of other baddies). All of this is intended to be quirkily charming, but the chemistry between Rockwell and Kendrick is nil, and the big joke—she is shocked by Francis's occupation, but quickly proves to be as adept as Francis—falls flat. Regardless, Kendrick must still play the tired role of damsel-in-distress as the plot lurches towards the end in a succession of poorly choreographed confrontations. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the brief “A Sweet Couple” featurette, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus digital and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)