Hard Breakers - DVD

Movie: Alexis (Cameron Richards) and her best friend Lindsay (Sophie Monk) are fed up with being used only as sex objects by men. They decide to simply turn the tables. Instead of always being the poor victim, the girls just take what they want. And since the gentlemen of creation don't always agree with this, potential lovers are simply unceremoniously pulled a surfboard over their heads. At first, the plan works and the girlfriends have a lot of fun - until Alexis falls head over heels in love and Lindsay chooses the wrong partner for her manhunt.

Hard Breakers has at first glance to offer some strong arguments that speak for light, but thoroughly fun entertainment. The basic idea of the comedy is not really bad, the two main actresses are nice to look at and a few nice gags at the beginning definitely provide amused smiles. For example Chris Kattan's performance as a sleazy film producer or Alexis' awkward casting for a rather erotic role can safely be called funny. But instead of spicing up the promising premise with biting humor or tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, director Leah Sturgis' debut relies more and more on flat gags and, at times, astonishingly prudish zaniness.

The relationship between Alexis and her father, played by Tom Arnold (True Lies), for instance, holds a lot of comedic potential, as the daddy doesn't seem to be interested in his little daughter at all, preferring to spend his time with his new flame, who isn't much older than Alexis. But in the end, this plotline drowns in a scene dripping with morality that doesn't want to fit into the silly setting at all. Furthermore, the comedic talent of the actors is obviously limited to cutting completely exaggerated grimaces. At the beginning, especially during the aforementioned casting scene, this is funny and also kind of charming. But when it becomes clear that there is not much more to come, the whole thing wears out quickly and even seems a bit annoying at times.

Admittedly, this comedy does have a few good laughs to offer. And those who can laugh heartily about US comedies of the more flat kind, think of the College Animals movies, will also enjoy this film. But the bottom line is disappointment that neither the premise nor the lead actresses seem to have been given enough credit, and instead shallow gags and exaggerated facial expressions dominate the comedic action. There would have been guaranteed more in it.

Picture + Sound: Technically, the comedy shows its decent side. The picture is clean and pleases with a coherent color scheme. Also the sharpness moves in most moments on a good level. The audio remains rather unspectacular, with dialogue and music dominating the proceedings. Overall, there is an appropriate for this genre: Good!

Extras: Except for the trailer for the film, as well as other program tips from the provider, the DVD unfortunately has no extras to offer.

Conclusion: Hard Breakers is a rather weak comedy, which has a few good laughs, attractive leading ladies and the one or other moment worth seeing to offer, but which unfortunately has to offer overall not very much more than amazingly uptight sex jokes and overacting actors. Technically on a good level, but without any bonus material worth mentioning, this DVD can therefore only be recommended to fans of US comedies of the raunchy kind

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp