Just in time for school to start back up again, Happy Madison Productions is bringing audiences The House Bunny, a silly but slightly lackluster comedy starring Anna Faris that does just enough entertaining.
Faris plays Shelley, a 27-year-old Playboy Bunny living the glamorous life. She’s a major part of the Playboy Mansion, has a near-perfect body, and has people serving her left and right, all despite growing up as an orphan. The only dream that eludes her is a centerfold shoot.
But the day after her 27th birthday, she receives a mysterious letter from Hugh Hefner, demanding that she leave the mansion immediately. Homeless yet again, she stumbles upon Zeta House, a failing sorority of misfit girls on the verge of losing their house. Shelley takes it upon herself to help out the girls and become their house mother to save the sorority.
The plot sounds and plays out simply enough. The movie even throws in an underused Colin Hanks as Shelley’s nice guy love interest. Faris does a decent enough job playing a clumsy, half-witted but kind-hearted bimbo. Her comedic background helps her from just being about the incredibly skimpy outfits and pushed-up breasts.
If you go out to see it, know that it is fortunately not one of those movies that throws out all its funny parts in the trailers and commercials leading up to it. Some of Shelley’s habits are consistently humorous, especially the way she remembers names. The girls that make up Zeta also get their share of laughs and in the same silly sort of way.
Of course, there are sexual innuendos and other similar jokes that are squeezed into the script but they don’t work out too well. Most of the time, they’ll leave the theater somewhat silent.
Would it have worked better if the production boosted up the sex aspects and gone for a raunchy R-rated comedy? More than likely, it would not have worked any better. It would have sent the movie into a mindless spin. It works well enough as is.
In fact, because of its simplicity and silliness, this could work out as a decent movie to take a date out to. That is, if you’re not looking for something quite so serious. If you can avoid it, however, don’t pay full price. It may be alright, but it certainly is not that good.
