Taglines: It seemed like a good idea… at the time.
Unmarried and just turned 40, sporting goods store owner Eddie Cantrow (Ben Stiller) is on the sidelines of the dating game when he attends the wedding of his former fiancée. Feeling like the whole world has paired off except him, and egged on by his libidinous octogenarian father Doc (Jerry Stiller) and henpecked married friend Mac (Rob Corddry), Eddie is primed for a romance. Now all he needs is the girl.
After he interrupts an apparent mugging on the streets of San Francisco, Eddie meets Lila (Malin Akerman) and the pair quickly embark on a whirlwind romance, which leads to a hasty proposal. On the way to Mexico for their honeymoon, Eddie discovers his new bride not only has the face of an angel, but a trucker’s vocabulary and a nearly insatiable appetite for hilariously athletic sex. By the time they reach the swanky resort, Lila has transformed from a gentle and sweet life partner into a crass, tequila-swigging wench with a sordid past, leaving Eddie wondering what he’s gotten himself into.
After Lila refuses to leave their hotel room because of the sunburn to end all sunburns, Eddie consoles himself at the bar where he strikes up a casual conversation with Miranda (Michelle Monaghan), a laid-back high school lacrossed teacher who is as wholesome and grounded as Lila is flighty. Soon, the miserable newlywed is manufacturing excuses to leave his bride behind and spend time with Miranda. As he falls for Miranda’s down home allure, Eddie tries his best to level with both women. But a series of misunderstandings leads to a wildly funny confrontation among a man, two women and a Portuguese man o’ war.
The Heartbreak Kid is a 2007 romantic comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers. Starring Ben Stiller, it is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name. The film was originally titled The Seven Day Itch, but Peter Farrelly revealed the filmmakers lost a lawsuit over the name; after attempts to find another title and suggestions of several other possible titles, the studio had them use the title The Heartbreak Kid. Also starring are Michelle Monaghan, Malin Åkerman, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Mencia, Scott Wilson and Danny McBride. The screenplay for the 2007 film was written by Leslie Dixon, Scot Armstrong, the Farrelly brothers and Kevin Barnett.
About the Production
“I’ve got to be honest here. I don’t think it’s possible for a guy to go on his honeymoon, fall in love with another woman and have it all end happily.” – Mac
Four years ago, when Peter Farrelly heard about an updated “The Heartbreak Kid” script, his initial reaction was to pass on the project. “’The Heartbreak Kid’ is one of my all-time favorite movies,” says Farrelly. “My first instinct was ‘no way.’ I didn’t want to do it.” But after watching the movie again, he saw how readily the story would lend itself to gags, hijinks and assorted other Farrelly-isms.
The original film, made in 1972, was based on a short story by Bruce Jay Friedman adapted by Neil Simon and starring Charles Grodin and Cybill Shepherd. “With Scot Armstrong and Leslie Dixon’s script, the thing that fascinated us and really got our attention was that they had flipped it around.
In this one, Eddie marries the beautiful Cybill Shepherd character, goes on his honeymoon and then meets a woman who’s more his speed, a more down-to-earth, girl-next-door type.
That made it a more complex story, I thought.” Ben Stiller, who plays the title role in the new film, is also a huge fan of the original “The Heartbreak Kid.”
“It’s a classic,” says the actor. “It’s just a really funny movie, and I thought we had a chance to do something a little different. There is no improving the original. This is a different movie.
One of the major challenges for both the filmmakers and their star was making Eddie, a guy who ditches his wife on their honeymoon, sympathetic.
For Bobby Farrelly, Stiller himself is the key to keeping the audience on Eddie’s side. “Ben makes Eddie a sympathetic character,” says the director. “You understand where he’s coming from, and hopefully you root for him. Once you want good things to happen to him, we can get away with the big jokes that we like to pull.”
“The Heartbreak Kid” marks the first reunion for the Farrellys and Ben Stiller since “There’s Something About Mary” catapulted their respective careers into the stratosphere eight years ago.
“We’ve thought of Ben for other roles, but every time we came up with a movie he’s either been unavailable or he didn’t like it,” says Peter. “This one he really flipped for, and we were obviously thrilled to have him.”
“He’s the best reactor in all of Hollywood,” adds Bobby. “You can do all sorts of crazy things to him and the way he takes it is just hysterical. He’s also a really thorough actor. He thinks things through and he comes with a take on how that day is going to go, which is a real plus for directors. He has ideas about wardrobe, where people should sit in a scene; he’s extremely hands-on.
But at the same time he is open to trying new things. After a take he might say, ‘Wow, that’s it,’ and not do anything to tweak it because it’s so good. Other times he’ll say, ‘That’s really good, but let’s try it a little bit more somber, or a bit happier,’ that kind of thing. His having such a strong point of view is a big help to us.”
Bradley Thomas, who has produced every film the Farrelly brothers have made, believes there’s a basic misconception about comic actors. “People think that they show up on the set and they are just funny,” says Thomas. “That’s not how it really is. With a lot of the comics, they’re very, very serious. Ben is a very serious guy. He probably cares more than any actor I’ve ever worked with.
Malin Akerman, who plays Lila, the spurned wife, says working with Stiller was an amazing experience. “You don’t have to act much, you just kind of react to someone who’s that good. We were able to banter back and forth and sort of go off-script. We have a similar sarcasm, so it worked out really well.”
Akerman is equally enthusiastic about working with the Farrellys. “I would go all the way to Egypt just to work with them again,” she says. “They’re just so cool and laid-back; they’re just a couple dudes having a great time who just can’t believe they get to do this as their job. But they’re great at this kind of comedy and they know how to get it out of you. They kind of mimicked it for me and then I had to try it in a girl’s body.”
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The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
Directed by: Peter, Bobby Farrelly
Starring: Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Mencia, Scott Wilson, Amy Sloan, Lauren Bowles, Stephanie Courtney
Screenplay by: Scot Armstrong, Leslie Dixon, Bobby Farrelly
Production Design by: Sydney J. Bartholomew Jr, Arlan Jay Vetter
Cinematography by: Matthew F. Leonetti
Film Editing by: Alan Baumgarten
Costume Design by: Louise Mingenbach
Set Decoration by: Cindy Carr
Art Direction by: Stephanie J. Gordon
Music by: Bill Ryan, Brendan Ryan
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, crude humor, language, a scene of drug use.
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: October 5, 2007
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