Review of The House Bunny (2008) by Meritcoba — 04 Jan 2016

The playmate Shelley Darlington is told to leave the Playboy Mansion because of her age and finds new purpose by becoming a house mother for the Zeta Alpha Zeta sorority which is about to be shut down due to a lack of members. Shelly, with her boundless sexy optimism transforms the oddball members into sexy damsels who, like honey and bees, attract the interest of the boys, which makes the sorority interesting for the female students to join in turn. At the end the misfits revolt but the sorority is saved nevertheless by a deus ex machina.

The overall story is a ship that flounders over the ocean steering away from anything uncomfortable that might contain a deeper message to run aground on the shore of mediocrity.

The fact that Shelly has a due date because of her looks is quickly stepped over and doesn't result in anything more than the remark: oh, but 27 isn't that old! So 28 is? Or 29? Or 30?

That the oddballs are easily turned into sexy ladies shows a missed opportunity for some fireworks. Why are the women so ready to submit to being objects of lust for men? Non of the ladies seem to have problems with that. Are non of them lesbian? Or from some social or religious background that frowns on these things? Or even themselves not ready to stoop that low? A confrontation between Shelly and the grumpy Mona seemed in the make, but Mona's resistance quickly evaporates after some quibbling. It is not to be had.

The Zetas apparently live in social isolation for no friends or family members show up to protest the loss of their individuality and personality. It is not only nonsensical but it also fails to make use of the material that lies there. People are not malleable like that, but for the sake of the movie they are.

Near the end the movie turns it around again and shoves us the 'be yourself' message down the throat. Another contrived concept that belies reality. And thus the movie misses every opportunity to stand out one way or the other.

The problem is that the movie is neither fish nor fowl. It is not light enough to be just a silly funny movie with an upbeat message and not heavy enough to make for a social drama of sorts that challenges our thinking. Instead it kind of does everything in a haphazard way without doing much with anything specifically.

The low down: a cute idea but the execution fails because the movie is too afraid to provoke or raise questions. It is a safe movie with a vapid message and thus easily forgettable. A missed opportunity either way.

Anna Farris deserves most of the credit as she not only saves the sorority but also the movie.