“My Super Ex-Girlfriend” Directed by Ivan
Reitman 20TH CENTURY FOX
In the beginning of “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” Uma
Thurman, as G-Girl, flies down from the sky to stop a jewel heist.
As she nears the ground, her skirt floats up and when the bad guys
shoot at her, their bullets puncture her shirt but not her skin.
But G-Girl is a supergirl in both senses of the term: She flies,
picks up cars, and prevents disasters ranging from petty larceny to
the entire destruction of the city, yet she is also a super girl in
the needy, weepy, clingy, jealous sort of way. These dual
personalities of G-Girl are what drive the plot of the film, as the
supergirl and the super-girly girl combine to turn what from the
outside looks a man’s fantasy into his worst nightmare. The
dominance of G-Girl and other women in the film turn “My
Super Ex-Girlfriend” into an exploration of how strong women
change gender roles in relationships. But, luckily,
“Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman keeps the focus on
being funny, not didactic. Thus observations and criticisms stay in
the viewer’s head and don’t ruin good jokes, of which
there are quite a few. The story begins when Matt Saunders (Luke
Wilson) asks out G-Girl’s alter-ego, Jenny Johnson, on the
subway because she looks cute ““ more librarian than
superheroine. Wilson plays Matt like he plays most of his
regular-guy roles: kind, sweet, timid ““ almost wimpy at
first, but always looking like a hero in comparison to jerky
friends (his slightly insane jerky friend is played by Rainn Wilson
of “The Office”). And a hero is what Jenny wants.
Teary-eyed, Jenny tells Matt that she helps people every day, but
no one ever helped her ““ until him. Letting out the
super-girly girl makes Matt extremely uncomfortable. Her constant
talk about her feelings plays like a reel of what not to do on
dates. But Jenny’s desire to be rescued is surprising coming
from a film in which female characters have the power over the men.
For example, Matt’s boss is a woman and she frequently asks
Matt’s pretty coworker Hannah Lewis (Anna Faris) if
she’d like to file any sexual harassment claims against him.
And ultimately, when Jenny brings out more of her supergirl, Matt
tells her he feels emasculated. The G-Girl fantasy isn’t what
he thought it would be. And when Matt breaks up with her, G-Girl
does not take the destruction of her fantasy so easily. Beside
G-Girl’s violent rage, Matt’s co-worker Hannah is much
less intimidating. Hannah has no super powers, is not overly
emotional, and though she is smart, comes across a bit ditzy and
confused. Right from the beginning, Hannah is the one who Matt
really likes. Though it confuses, affirms and destroys female
stereotypes, the film remains lighthearted and funny; overthinking
is entirely optional. “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” at just
over an hour and a half, is the perfect length for a comedy.
Running gags don’t have time to get old and there are enough
new tricks up G-Girl’s sleeve to keep the action
exciting.