20 Dates (1998)

Review by Bret Walker

Is it real life or not? I can't tell, but 20 Dates is still a brilliant piece of film making either way. The premise is so simple: take a film crew on 20 dates with a recent divorceé and witness love in the making. It's a great idea.

Of course, not everyone thinks so. Certainly not the producer who puts up $60,000 and who demands sex and real actresses, such as Tia Carrere (who does end up in the film, but only after certain threats are made...). Neither does his agent think it's a great idea, although he starts out liking it and ends up telling Myles not to go on one more date. The girl that he does finally fall in love with thinks it's a great idea, until she realizes that he's only been on 15 dates and that he needs to go on 5 more dates with 5 more women in order to truly make his film "20 Dates."

Well, it seems that Myles is against it all. Add to this an inept camera and sound crew, and you have the makings of one of the funniest films in recent history. Perhaps it is true, also. But I couldn't tell, and I'm still speculating.

Regardless, if you want to see a funny film, a pseudo-documentary of sorts, check out 20 Dates. And why not bring a date while you're at it?

Rating:

Trivia:

This is Myles Berkowitz's debut as a director and writer, but not as an actor. He also appeared as John in 1984's No Small Affair, starring Jon Cryer and Demi Moore.

20 Dates was a 1998 Slamdance Film Festival Audience Award winner.

Links:

The 20 Dates Website (Fox Searchlight)

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