Picture Perfect review

Picture Perfect is one of those nondescript rom-coms that still believe trendy New York apartments and pretty people in snazzy outfits (trapped in an eked-out sitcom plot), are enough to deliver the laughs. Recent hit films like My Best Friend's Wedding have proved that there's still life in the genre if it's done well, with charismatic actors and a funny script. But Picture Perfect fails on every count, despite aspiring to be witty, charming, cuddly, chic and downright Friends-like.

It isn't so much the unimaginative situations into which Moonlighting director Glenn Gordon Caron places his characters. No, most of the blame lies with the astonishingly unfunny dialogue. The jokes lack rib-tickling humour, despite being briskly paced, and even Ms Aniston's finely honed comic timing fails to add desperately needed gusto.

As for the performances, Bacon is embarrassingly miscast as Sam, while Aniston, with her Elvive hairdo and sexy frocks, is merely trotting out a thinly disguised Rachel from Friends - - but without the funny lines. In total contrast, Dukakis acquits herself well as Kate's matchmaking mother, while Mohr (Jerry Maguire) is a winning fake boyfriend. But between them they can't hide the fact that Picture Perfect is another example of why sit-com stars - - specifically, Friends stars - - shouldn't treat big-screen relocation lightly. Matt LeBlanc has his run at superstardom with Lost In Space later this year, but Schwimmer, Kudrow and Perry have all failed, and Cox is only just hanging on in there.

Ultimately, Picture Perfect is a fluffy, nonsensical timewaster, a lacklustre star vehicle with all the speed and excitement of a damp cardboard box. Unless the Hollywood suits wise up, we can look forward to a ton of Picture Perfects in the future, but very few gems like My Best Friend's Wedding.