BAGGAGE CLAIM – The Review

COME FLY WITH ME, the late, late movie staple, like the old Sinatra standard, put forth the idea that an airline ticket could open up a whirlwind world of romance and adventure. Well, the new film BAGGAGE CLAIM really believes that, too. But FLY was released in 1963…yeah, fifty years ago! Have the producers actually hung out at any airports recently. Not the same vibe anymore, at all. BAGGAGE is the newest “rom-com” from Hollywood’s assembly line (seems like a new one comes out every other month on schedule) with a bit of a twist. As the politically correct marketing folks would say, “This has an urban edge”. Or to be more to the point it’s cast and crew is predominantly African-Americans. And it’s a testament to strives in equality as this film proves to be just as fluffy, silly, and trite as any Katherine Heigl or Kate Hudson romantic comedy. Let’s head to this carousels….

Montana Moore (Paula Patton) is a single 30 year-old flight attendant for Trans-Alliance (ya’ know I don’t think that’s a real airline!) who’s always a bridesmaid or maid of honor. And it’s about to happen again! Her  younger sister has just gotten engaged. And the big event is right around the Christmas holidays! Montana hopes to get her beau Graham (Boris Kodjoe) to pop the question so they can make the announcement during those festivities, mostly to get her pushy, much-married mother (Jenifer Lewis) to back off. But a Chicago Thanksgiving getaway derails those plans. She’s on the market once more with just 30 days to find someone. Luckily her supportive flight crew pals, attendants Gail (Jill Scott) and Sam (Adam Brody), hatch a (possibly illegal) scheme. They get a list of Montana’s ex-boyfriends and send it out to their other airport pals. When the exes make travel plans (it is the busy holiday season, after all), they’ll pass on the info so that Montana can join the flight crew or nab a seat, that way she can just “happen” to bump into them. She does get to re-connect with music producer Damon (Trey Songz) and ambitious politico Langston (Taye Diggs). Happily she can get rides to and from the airport thanks to her apartment building neighbor and childhood chum, William Wright (uh, get it?) played by Derek Luke, who’s sharing his pad with the ditzy Taylor (Christina Milian). And then she meets hotel tycoon Quinton (Djimon Hounsou), who’s not the marrying kind. Oh, what’s a girl to do?

Patton, who was so terrific as part of Tom Cruise’s IMF team in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, flings herself into the “rom-com” staple role of the knock-out gorgeous gal who can be silly and klutzy and full of insecurities. Unfortunately she’s required to spew out the dialogue so quickly that she seems constantly out of breath. This may be also due to the countless scenes of her madly dashing through airports, helped along by her pals in security (gee, that makes me feel safe!). Mostly Montana (sounds like a sitcom..call BET!) is a prize that the various suitors strive for. Even the controlling congressman, played by Diggs, who wants to use her  as a donation ploy with the wealthy condescending old white contributor played by Ned Beatty (Oh, Otis!). Many of her dates consists of glorified R and B videos with Patton and her beaus cuddling and cooing against a swanky backdrop while a forgettable pop ballad blasts over the theatre sound system (Gotta’ by the soundtrack!). I guess that’s easier than writing believable dialogue for them. Speaking of believability, Montana’s two best buds come right from “rom-com stereotypes 101”. Scott is the sexually voracious zoftig gal pal that became tired in TV sitcoms long ago (she’s like an Ethel Mertz that’s always ready to party). Pity poor Brody saddled with the cliche’ fussy, eye-rolling supportive gay role (“you go, girlfriend!”) so well parodied by Elijah Wood in last year’s CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER that it should be permanently retired. Hmmm, Brody’s a token Gay and Caucasian, a twofer! There is a “instead of finding a man, I need to find me” empowerment speech near the inevitable airport resolution (how original!), but it seems like a weak rebuttal to the previous hour of frantic husband hunting. In short (too late!), this is a movie that Scarlett Johansson’s Barbara Sugarman character in the vastly superior DON JON (opens today,check out Michael Haffner’s terrific review!) would adore. It’s predictable mind candy. Patton and company proved they can do as fluffy a comedy as anybody in Hollywood. Next time I hope they aim much a lot  higher.

1 Out of 5