Raunchy comedies about women are becoming more popular since Bridesmaids and Sex and the City. The trouble is trying to make them so they are just not stupid humor that panders to the lowest common denominator. Lauren Miller and Katie Anne Naylon have written a smart, silly story about a friendship between two unlikely women who run a sex phone operation from their apartment. It's based on Lauren's real life college roommate who actually did such work from their dorm. Jamie Travis directs his début feature film which stars Ari Graynor who also produced and had it's premier at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
Lauren Miller plays Lauren who just lost her editing job, broke up with her bland boyfriend, and needs to move from her apartment. She's hooked up to Katie (Ari Graynor) whose grandmother's apartment just lost it's rent control that even her multiple jobs can't cover the cost. Their mutual gay friend Jesse (Justin Long) decided that they should help each other out despite they couldn't be more opposite in personalities. Lauren is uptight and boring while Katie is bubbly and flighty. Lauren hopes to score a big editing job but finds they already hired from within, so she's stuck having to bunk with Katie. She's shocked to discover that Katie is doing phone sex calls when she hears some loud moaning from her bedroom. Since she's still unemployed Lauren decides to help Katie work for herself raking in all the profit rather than pay a middleman. Katie schools inexperienced Lauren to the ins and outs of phone sex language and protocol. The resulting cooperation between the two is what gives this film it's charm and biggest laughs.
It's been awhile since women are portrayed on screen in anything besides dumb, jealous and pretty arm candy for their male partners. Lauren and Katie bicker, play and generally respect each other like dorm roommates. There's some really funny scenes when Lauren rich parents (Mimi Rogers and Don McManus) keep dropping by unannounced and in the most inopportune moments. Also the cameos of the regulars for Katie's services including Seth Rogen, Lauren Miller's real life husband. Nina Vardalos shows up as the Human Resource manager who is more than impressed with Lauren business acumen.
While this comedy goes for the expected crisis that threatens their new found friendship so they can find a resolution and be all happy again, it doesn't mistake the chemistry between the actresses. You can't deny that they hold the screen despite the by the numbers direction into a nice amusing tale that toys with it's risqué attitude without going down and dirty. It's burlesque with feathers rather than strip tease in the combat zone.
(Review by reesa)
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