A Guy Thing (2002)

24% of critics liked it
(99 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(72,101 ratings)

A man trying to save his relationship with the woman he loves finds himself sinking into a quicksand of small lies and half-truths in this comedy. Paul (Jason Lee) is a regular guy who is engaged to marry Karen (Selma Blair); while Paul loves Karen, he's more than a bit nervous around her family,… More A man trying to save his relationship with the woman he loves finds himself sinking into a quicksand of small lies and half-truths in this comedy. Paul (Jason Lee) is a regular guy who is engaged to marry Karen (Selma Blair); while Paul loves Karen, he's more than a bit nervous around her family, even though her father (James Brolin) has already given him a job in the family business. Shortly before the wedding, Paul's friends throw him a bachelor party, complete with a boatload of liquor and a squadron of grass-skirt-clad tiki dancers. Paul strikes up a conversation with one of the dancers, the cheerful if inept Becky (Julia Stiles), and the next morning, he wakes up bleary-eyed with a massive hangover -- and Becky in bed next to him. Paul soon receives a phone call from Karen saying she's stopping by for a visit, and Paul scrambles to get Becky out of his apartment. Paul attempts to explain some incriminating evidence with a few white lies, but a messy situation gets messier when Paul runs into Becky at a pre-wedding family get-together...and discovers she's Karen's cousin. A Guy Thing also features Shawn Hatosy, Lochlyn Munro, and Julie Hagerty. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.
Directed By: Chris Koch
Written By: Pete Schwaba, Greg Glienna, Matt Tarses, Bill Wrubel
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Jan 17, 2003 Wide
On DVD: May 27, 2003
Studio: MGM/UA

Critic Reviews

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
If you ever admired Julia Stiles, Selma Blair and Jason Lee -- and who didn't? -- don't watch them crush their careers in this laugh-free romantic comedy from the director of Snow Day.
Anya Kamenetz, Village Voice
The three move through a faded deck of clichés ... with a convincing impression of having fun, helped along by a snazzy '60s-'70s soundtrack and bit-part fillips.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
Here's a rule of thumb: If the coincidences in your movie have longer odds than Carrot Top perfecting cold fusion, you might be straining the old believability factor.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
It takes a truly awful motion picture to nullify the considerable appeal of Lee, Stiles, and Blair, but A Guy Thing has what it takes.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
[Tries] desperately to lower the bar for scatological gags, rank sexual humor and cheap physical shots.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
A bale of romantic fluff that is a lot funnier than it has any right to be.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Cycles through the same old cliches, like squares accidentally being dosed with drugs, overzealous pharmacists blaring out sensitive medical information (nothing like a good ol' venereal disease joke), and climactically scotched weddings. [Blu-ray]
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Lame, crude descendent of Meet the Parents.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Would feel a lot emptier without the lively actors populating it.
Michael Dequina, Movie Poop Shoot
I can't imagine this painfully unfunny and often boring movie being a 'thing' for guys or gals.
James Plath, Reel.com
a notch below Meet the Parents
Shannon J. Harvey, Sunday Times (Australia)
Julia Stiles provides the one shining light in an otherwise dull, unfunny, cringe-inducing comedy caper.
Mark Adnum, FILMINK (Australia)
every bumbling mishap along the way to the aisle- the sudden public attacks of diarrhea, the psychotic ex-boyfriend, about a hundred other stale gags - is straight out of the campus-howler how-to book
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
A date movie - but only if your other option is a documentary on plates.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Bethany M

Forgetable and not that great! Got bored throughout the film!
♥Robyn

not a bad movie has some funny moments!
Eric S

Don't let the title fool you because this film's for guys and girls. A brilliant cast with Julia Stiles and Jason Lee starring in a hilarious, romantic tale of meeting the right person close to a wedding with the wrong one, and all of the complications that arise due to the… More
Don't let the title fool you because this film's for guys and girls. A brilliant cast with Julia Stiles and Jason Lee starring in a hilarious, romantic tale of meeting the right person close to a wedding with the wrong one, and all of the complications that arise due to the fact that she's his fiance's cousin. Memorable gags and running jokes that never grow stale.
danny d

i missed the first part of this because it was on tv, but i saw most of it and enough to know that it wasnt very good. jason lee is always funny but he starred along side two of the more annoying actresses in hollywood.
jay n

total offensive junk
Jason S

Jason Lee is always a good time.
Dean M

Surprising comedy and good choice for Julia Stiles because she's so beautiful than Selma Blair to give a better match for Jason Lee.
Stephen E

Formulaic and unfunny. Nuff said.
Andrew F

Meh. The only good thing was Julia Stiles.
Stephen E

Formulaic and unfunny. Nuff said.
Andrew P

Forgetable and unfunny. Crabs arent funny!!

Read all 11 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Julia Stiles as Becky

            Jason Lee as Paul Coleman

            Selma Blair as Karen

            James Brolin as Ken

            Shawn Hatosy as Jim

            Diana Scarwid as Sandra

            David Koechner as Buck

            Julie Hagerty as Dorothy

            Thomas Lennon as Pete

            Jackie Burroughs as Aunt Budge

            Jay Brazeau as Howard

            Deejay Jackson as Officer

            William Sanderson as Bachelor Party Guy

            Matthew Walker as Minister Green

            Scott Williams as Buddy Scott Trio

            Larry Musser as Ernie

            Jonathon Young as Bachelor Party Guy

            Lochlyn Munro as Ray

            Victor Varnado as Hansberry

            Joe Sather as Buddy Scott Trio

            Dan Joffre as Larry

            Anita Brown as Laundromat Girl

            Noel Fisher as Acne-Faced Teen

            Ronald Selmour as Doc

            Gus Lynch as Agent Harris

            Enid-Raye Adams as Maid of Honor

            Xantha Radley as Ken's Secretary

            Lina Teal as Melanie

            Miriama Smith as Mrs. Ferris

            Chris Wilding as Beaten Suspect

            Michael Sunczk as Tony

            Clayton Watmough as Police Officer

            Jared Van Snellenberg as Guy on Moped

            John B. Destry as Angry Driver

            Gina Stockdale as Gladys

            Benjamin Ratner as Officer

            Donavon Stinson as Mouthy Bar Guy

            Fred Ewanuick as Jeff

            Doris Blomgren as Elderly Shopper

            Shawn Bordoff as Guy on Sofa

            Lisa Calder as Tonya

            Keith Dallas as Spend Mart Clerk

            Benjamin Ettenberg as Zulu Patron

            Alex Farquharson as Nephew

            Colin Foo as Phil

            Fiona Hogan as Agent Roberts

            Bonnie Kean as Drug Store Twin

            Jean Kean as Drug Store Twin

            Paul McGillion as Curt

            Dave McGowan as Bachelor Party Guy

            Daniel McKellar as Bachelor Party Guy

            Peter New as Guy in Tiki Bar Bathroom

            Zahf Paroo as Ahmed

            Josef Pelletier as Buddy Scott Trio

            Brody Smith as Leo Ferris

            Michael Teigen as Lou

            Stephanie Thorpe as Shopper

            Leslie Jones as Sales Employee

            Andy Thompson as Guy in Washroom
See full cast