Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
Griff Lees
Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
Philippa
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
Dana
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
Cowman
Recently divorced Myles Berkowitz has an idea for a movie: date twenty different women, film the encounters, and hope to God that there is a real spark between him and one of the subjects. Remarkably, his agent Richard seals a deal with bigshot producer Elie Samaha, and Berkowitz is given $60,000 to make his movie. So goes the plot for "20 Dates", a comic "documentary" about finding love in LA. Note my usage of quotation marks around the word documentary.This is indeed a fake documentary--at least a majority of it is--but it is not fake in the same sense as movies like "This Is Spinal Tap" or "Best in Show" are fake. This is a serious attempt to dupe the viewer into believing they are witnessing actual events with genuine, spontaneous human interaction. Fans of filmmaker Huck Botko will know exactly the type of movie I am talking about.Having said that, I am actually a big fan of films that manipulate audience perception, and this film does a great job at it. Unless you have some inside information about film legalities and some background on the producers of this film (which I did) this could very well pass as an honest-to-goodness documentary. It's actually quite believable, especially during the first half-hour or so.As long as you aren't angry or taken aback at the notion of being deliberately misled, then you will probably find this film to be very funny and enjoyable. It's not four-star material, but it is certainly very clever and loaded with some funny, memorable dialogue.
bidbusters
OK, instead of reviewing the film, I'd rather review three of the ladies dated in this film. (1.) The pretty blonde who 'graded up' from the 1.5 to the 3-pound lobster might want to learn the concept of the 'Dutch treat' (2.) I might have stopped production my own film if it was going to jeopardize present and future dates with the lass who contacted federal authorities and got a 'restraining order' once it was revealed that the date was being filmed. I think the two of them were actually 'clicking', something that wasn't occuring often. Therefore Myles should have opted for a great end to the date with this classy gal over what actually did occur. (3.) I have to admit I got myself smitten over Elisabeth over the course of the movie. I'd have had to call it '17 Dates' and keep my relationship strong, sorry Myles. I also can't believe that his 'pushing it' tendencies have kept her in his clutches to 2003 and beyond, so, Lizzie, if you're reading this... Maybe you'd like a (free) charcoal portrait of yourself ? I draw professionally in Nebraska. -David.
okibabe
not even funny in an "its so bad" its funny sort of way. i can only think that tia carrere lost some sort of bet as reason for her appearance. its mindnumbing that this film was made and even moreso, released in a theater where i sadly admit that i saw it. like i said, i see a good 150 movies a year and this is the WORST movie i have ever laid eyes on. did i say..ever!!
Donny_Stay
This movie had an mildly interesting premise: a zany guy goes on twenty dates and films the result, offering insight into the game of romance. Hilarity presumably ensues. The premise is intriguing, but the resulting film suffers a fundamental flaw: the protagonist, Myles Berkowitz, simply isn't charming or funny enough to sustain the viewer's interest over the length of the film. Berkowitz has some funny moments, but his humor is of the smug, abrasive, everyone-is-dumb-but-me variety, which quickly becomes tiresome. By the end of the film, I found myself wondering how such an obnoxious man convinced any woman to date him, never mind twenty. Neither does Berkowitz have any insight to offer us on the art of love, ultimately concluding with nebulous statements like, "Love can conquer all; love is a strange magical thing." Stendhal he ain't.2/5 stars. Possibly worth watching on cable if you're bored.