Everybody's a critic - 'Along Came Polly'

Two stars (out of four)

Combine the movies "When Harry Met Sally" and "Dumb and Dumber" and you get "Along Came Polly." It has plenty of star power with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston, yet it seems to have to rely on its supporting cast, gross bathroom humor and even a pet ferret for its few laughs.

I'm a fan of Jennifer Anniston but she never seems to fully get into her role as Polly, the beautiful and quirky childhood friends that reunites with Reuben Feffer (Stiller), a nerdy guy who gets dumped on his honeymoon.

Alec Baldwin is good in his role as an older, non-leading man. Philip Seymour Hoffman is also funny as Sandy, Reuben's best friend and a has-been child actor. There are a couple of scenes that I would regard as clever funny, and a few other chuckles along the way, but bottom line ... this movie is way too predictable and not that funny.

-- Mike Shupert, minister

Three stars (out of four)

"Along Came Polly" is a chick flick that is cleverly camouflaged as a comedy. Reuben Feffer (Ben Stiller) assesses risks for an insurance company and knows every statistic about bad things that can happen so he leads a very cautious life.

From the very beginning of the movie, Reuben is constantly put into situations where his quirky behavior can be in the spotlight. The height of this occurs with the meeting of Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston). Polly is zig to Reuben's zag.

The love story keeps the movie rolling, allowing Ben Stiller to play the reactionary, offbeat type of role he plays so well. By the end of the movie, though, the love story has progressed enough that you are rooting for the happy ending. I think this is a movie that any couple could watch and enjoy together.

-- Anson Rinesmith, Internet operations manager

One star (out of four)

Those looking for a charming romantic comedy should avoid "Along Came Polly." There are laughs, but very little romance. While the plot does center around a "will they or won't they" relationship between obsessive risk analyst Reuben (Ben Stiller) and free spirit Polly (Jennifer Aniston), it doesn't seem like the true focus of this film. No, the heart of this movie is closer to the scene exploring Reuben's Irritable Bowel Syndrome after dinner in a spicy ethnic restaurant. If the sights and sounds of someone having a traumatic restroom experience strike you as entertaining, rush out and see this one. Perhaps most troubling is the talent shipwrecked in this film. The usually amazing Phillip Seymour Hoffman is relegated to the "fat, disgusting best friend" role. Stiller plays his role almost apologetically. Even the star power of Aniston and her hair can't salvage this one. Skip it.

-- Bob Clubbs, high school drama/speech teacher