How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

Ever dreamed of attending celebrity parties and leading a glamorous lifestyle? Then perhaps you can relate to character Sidney Young, played by Simon Pegg, who longs for this more than anything, in the new rom-com How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.

Based on the autobiographical book of journalist Toby Young, we watch as Sidney slowly and clumsily moves up the social ladder in order to fulfill his dream of mixing with the rich and famous.

After many disastrous attempts to enter the ‘elite’, he eventually finds work at the prestigious ‘Sparks’ magazine where he meets fellow writer Alison, played by Kirsten Dunst. However throughout most of the movie Sidney only notices actress Sophie Maes, (Megan Fox) an unintelligent and conceited example of what some our real life film stars are most probably like. Another character who displays these traits is a young, up and coming movie director, played by Max Minghella, but he is so insufferable with his self importance that when Sidney stamps on his trademark glasses in irritation, it is impossible to not feel pleased.

It seems that Simon Pegg has managed to make a swift transition from starring in Brit flicks to Hollywood blockbusters. It is unsurprising that his comic timing and strong performances in films such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were noticed by American filmmakers, although the material in this film can hardly be compared to that in the films mentioned. Pegg is forced to rely heavily on slapstick humour throughout and whilst some of these gags are amusing, on the whole there is nothing new within the jokes.

Overall, Pegg plays the ultimate klutz, who has absolutely no fashion sense (at one point he wears socks and sandals with a bright blue Hawaiian shirt) and is absurdly arrogant and I did
consider that this might simply be the personification of what the Americans think of the average English man.

For example, after Sidney nearly sleeps with a transsexual, Alison excuses him by saying ‘He is English.’ However, the fact that the film is autobiographical means that this could be exactly what Toby Young was like, although it is difficult to tell unless you read his book.

Luckily, Sidney redeems himself by the end as the audience warm to him, and as he realises that the lifestyle he aspired to have is not all it is cracked up to be. All in all, the film is certainly not as funny or clever as it could have been, especially with Pegg’s potential, but with its eventful script and interesting look into the twisted world of celebrity it is watchable and entertaining enough to go and see.

Laura Sivewright

Tags: Simon Pegg