The House Bunny (2008)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Fred Wolf

Writers (WGA):

Karen McCullah Lutz (written by) &
Kirsten Smith (written by)

Release Date:

22 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

For the girls of ZETA house college life was no party, until Shelley showed up.

Plot:

When Shelly, a Playboy bunny, is tossed out of the mansion, she has nowhere to go until she falls in with the sorority girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta. The members of the sorority - who also have got to be the seven most socially clueless women on the planet - are about to lose their house. They need a dose of what only the eternally bubbly Shelley can provide... but they will each learn on their own to stop pretending to be what others want them to be and start being themselves.

Plot Keywords:

Sorority | Playboy | Party | Playboy Bunny | Makeover

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Anna Faris	...	Shelley Darlingson
Colin Hanks	...	Oliver
Emma Stone	...	Natalie
Kat Dennings	...	Mona
Hugh M. Hefner	...	Himself (as Hugh Hefner)
Christopher McDonald	...	Dean Simmons
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Mrs. Hagstrom
Katharine McPhee	...	Harmony
Rumer Willis	...	Joanne
Kiely Williams	...	Lilly
Dana Goodman	...	Carrie Mae
Kimberly Makkouk	...	Tanya
Monet Mazur	...	Cassandra
Tyson Ritter	...	Colby
Sarah Wright	...	Ashley

Also Known As:

I Know What Boys Like (USA) (working title)
Untitled Anna Faris Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief strong language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44141) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Ireland:12A | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Malaysia:U (cut) | Peru:14 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Finland:S | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

During Oliver and Shelley's date, she tells him that when voting she would not take Simon's opinion into consideration, but would listen to Paula and Randy. This is a reference to "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002), a reality show in which Katharine McPhee was runner-up after contesting.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening shot of the movie, Shelley is walking beside the swimming pool of the Playboy Mansion. She walks past two Playmates having a conversation while standing at the edge of the pool, Hiromi Oshima, wearing yellow shorts, and Sara Jean Underwood. Shelley then hugs Playmate Lauren Michelle Hill who is standing next to lounge chairs. When Shelley turns around to yell over to Hugh Hefner and the Girls Next Door, who are sitting at the bar. Hiromi, now wearing white bikini bottoms, and Lauren are standing blowing bubbles behind Hefner and the Girls Next Door. Then Shelley turns around to walk down some stairs next to the pool. Hiromi, with the yellow shorts back on, and Sara Jean are following Shelley several feet behind her while Lauren is standing in the background next to the lounge chairs.

Quotes:

Shelley: The eyes are the nipples of the face.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Forrest Gump (1994)

Soundtrack:

Take A Bow

Cute and fun, but unfortunately doesn't stand out

Ever since I saw the trailer for The House Bunny back in May, I was looking forward to seeing it, this looked like a fun comedy and we all love Anna Faris, this girl is just adorable, and she makes comedies a lot of fun. So I saw The House Bunny yesterday and I did enjoy myself, but we've done this before, the dumb blonde story, not that we can't do it again, I'm just looking for something a little fresh. But Anna Faris holds herself so well with comedies, The House Bunny, she doesn't seem to enjoy herself as much in this role. A lot of the moments where she acts stupid, she looks a little uncomfortable at times, I think that's why this movie didn't stand out as well as other dumb blonde comedies. But it's mindless entertainment, the message, it worries me a little, I'll explain why in a little bit, but I'd say if you're a grown up and you know better, than this is a fun little movie.

Shelley is a hot playboy bunny whose life is just grand, she's a sweetheart, a little on the slow side, but always has good intentions, and when it appears that Hugh Hefner wants her out of the house due to her age of 27, she must pack up her things and take off. She's homeless, but finds a local sorority that needs a house mother and a clue into a social life. She becomes their house mother and teaches them how to attract people, but she learns a little something too when she meets a sweet, smart, and sensitive guy, Oliver. Now things become a success with the sorority, but they become a little too shallow and Oliver wants more than a playboy bunny, he wants a girl to talk too, and to top that off the other sororities are upset to learn that the former losers are now hotties that everyone loves.

My one problem with this movie, even though it is enjoyable, the message isn't appropriate for young girls. I know it's just a movie, I don't want to nit pick, believe me, I know when a movie is harmless, but it's teaching young girls that you have to play yourself down to get a guy and that looks will get you everywhere at any time, also we are rooting for a person who just always has good intentions, why? That's all Shelley is, just a nice person, but she doesn't have many likable qualities. I liked the movie over all, I just think the script needed more work, nothing about this movie stood out, it's a disappointment to me. I would recommend it for silly fun, but otherwise, just wait for the rental.

6/10