Paula Patton, looking for Mr. Right gone terribly wrong in “Baggage Claim”
Man, “Baggage Claim” is terrible.
We’re talking walk out of the theater halfway through bad. Lamest episode of a really lame sitcom bad. Actors leave it off their resume bad.
This is not a total surprise. The synopsis for the film reads: “Determined to get engaged before her youngest sister’s wedding, flight attendant Montana Moore (Paula Patton) finds herself with only 30 days to find Mr. Right.” Anytime someone has a time limit on finding Mr. or Mrs. Right you know something’s wrong.
But this movie is actually even worse than you’d imagine. Not only does the flight attendant have a domineering mother (Jenifer Lewis) who has been married five times and is pushing her offspring into premature marriages, she also has two bestest flight attendant friends, a gay guy (Adam Brody) and a hotcha mama (Jill Scott), straight from stereotypeland.
These two and a host of other friends scattered through the airport world help Montana as she hunts down her apparently many ex-boyfriends in the hope that one of them has become marrying material. Wacky misunderstandings, hilarious betrayals and rude awakenings ensue.
By the way, has anybody seen Paula Patton? Does she look like someone who has to go hunting ex-boyfriends?
These ex-boyfriends, of course, all turn out to be knuckleheads. And wouldn’t you know it, Montana’s best friend since high school, Will (Derek Luke), just happens to be living down the hall from her with his cheating girlfriend (Christina Milian). Anyone see an ending coming?
That ending is, of course, drenched in suddenly sincere sentiments, proud statements of individuality and a big dose of false romantic glop. Do not claim this “Baggage.” ‘Baggage Claim’ GRADE: D Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some language
Running time: 96 minutes