The Ex

Though infused with a whole host of personable performances, The Ex adopts an increasingly routine and flat-out needless tone as it progresses – with the end result a distinctly uneven effort that’s nevertheless entertaining enough to warrant a mild recommendation. Zach Braff stars as Tom Reilly, an amiable yet aimless slacker who agrees to take on a job with his father-in-law after the birth of his son. Problems emerge when Tom is paired up with Chip Sanders (Jason Bateman) at the office, as it’s quickly revealed that Chip used to date Tom’s wife (Amanda Peet’s Sofia) and has never quite gotten over her. Director Jesse Peretz, working from David Guion and Michael Handelman’s screenplay, initially does a nice job of imbuing the movie with an appropriately lighthearted touch, though one can’t help but question the inclusion of several incongruously melodramatic subplots (eg Sofia’s attempts to cope with her stay-at-home-mom status, a variation on the ubiquitous fake break-up, etc). Braff’s effortlessly charismatic performance is certainly worth mention, as are the amusing cameos from folks like Amy Adams and Paul Rudd, yet there’s little doubt that Bateman deserves the lion’s share of praise thanks to his scene-stealing work as Tom’s hilariously smug nemesis. In the end, The Ex generally comes off as an agreeable (if entirely forgettable) romantic comedy that, while never flat-out boring, isn’t quite able to live up to the promise of its above-average premise.

**1/2 out of ****