Review of How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008) by A K — 09 Oct 2011

Based upon British writer Toby Young's 2001 memoir of the same name, 'How to Lose Friends & Alienate People' follows the rise of Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) from working at a radical left-wing publication in England to a large magazine (Sharps) in New York City.

I quite enjoyed this film. It did indeed have some laugh-out-loud moments, as well as a number of cringe-worthy ones. Personal highlights included Alison's (Kirsten Dunst) drunken antics and the scene with the naughty pig.

However, I'm sorry to say that I had a huge problem with the character of Sidney Young. I couldn't help seeing him as a sell-out. It seemed that one minute he was sneering at the low-calibre celebrities fawned over by Sharps magazine, and the next, he was literally begging to write a piece on one of them: a young director that he despised. In my opinion, the transformation happened too quickly.

In terms of acting, Kirsten Dunst's performance impressed me the most, quickly followed by Simon Pegg and the class act that is Jeff Bridges.