That was an excellent one.

terrible... so disappointed.

Dreadfully Boring

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Myles Berkowitz is newly divorced after his 10-month marriage ended badly. He also is keen to make his debut film that will launch his movie career. He decides to combine the two biggest failures of his life - his film `career' and his love life to make a film about the real search for love in LA. He sets out to film 20 dates to capture the moment where two people fall in love. However he is in for a rocky road - not only does he have trouble with his dates but the guy funding his film wants it to be something other than what Myles envisages it to be.This film was made on the cheap and is a mix of documentary and mockumentary; there is no way that all the stuff in this film is real - certainly I never accepted that Elie the producer was the character that the film painted him to be. However, the majority of it seems to be relatively real and the majority of it is funny - which is the important thing here. Forget Myles arty pretensions about filming true love as it happens, the point here is wit and fun. The film is a very particular type of wit and if you're not into it then it is likely that you will hate the film; for me I really enjoyed the light humour of the whole piece and found it amusing even if I wouldn't call it hilarious.I really liked the invention of some parts of it: the comparisons of the budget in military terms (his film would be the equivalent of one French soldier surrendering to whoever it happens to be at war with), the stuff around Elie, the `meetings' with his agent etc. In fact most of the funny stuff is staged - and it is for the best. If I was being cynical I would question whether or not 95% of the film was scripted and acted as natural. But it didn't bother me because I found it funny.Myles himself is a strange guy; he is quite abrasive and pretty unpleasant at times and is a bit of a jerk. He definitely doesn't deserve Elisabeth but it is easy to be amused by his cruel humour at times. He holds the attention pretty well when he is on dates, but as an actor I didn't think much of him: at one point we learn he refused an offer for a script on the basis that he would only sell it if he could star - he really needs to focus on writing as neither directing or acting appears to be his thing on the basis of this. The support crew are hilarious. Myles sound guy and cameraman are funny when they have the chance, while both Richard the agent and Elie are hilarious and don't mind sending themselves up!Overall, treat this film as a comedy rather than a documentary - large chunks of it are staged, but it actually helps the film. It is very rough but it is different and quite enjoyable; it is funny in witty ways and it is funny in inventive ways and both styles work really well. It is not a perfect film (Myles' comes across like a daytime tv presenter at times) but it is fun; and that's all I was really looking for.

OK, instead of reviewing the film, I'd rather review three of the ladies dated in this film. (1.) The pretty blonde who 'graded up' from the 1.5 to the 3-pound lobster might want to learn the concept of the 'Dutch treat' (2.) I might have stopped production my own film if it was going to jeopardize present and future dates with the lass who contacted federal authorities and got a 'restraining order' once it was revealed that the date was being filmed. I think the two of them were actually 'clicking', something that wasn't occuring often. Therefore Myles should have opted for a great end to the date with this classy gal over what actually did occur. (3.) I have to admit I got myself smitten over Elisabeth over the course of the movie. I'd have had to call it '17 Dates' and keep my relationship strong, sorry Myles. I also can't believe that his 'pushing it' tendencies have kept her in his clutches to 2003 and beyond, so, Lizzie, if you're reading this... Maybe you'd like a (free) charcoal portrait of yourself ? I draw professionally in Nebraska. -David.

Like Len, I don't understand why this movie didn't rate higher. From the moment '20 Dates' started, I could not tear myself away from it. Throughout, I was either cheering for Myles, laughing at Myles (not with), or PO'd at Myles. The point being, unlike many other films I've seen in recent years, I actually cared about the main character (who in this instance, happens to be a real guy) and I cared about what happened to him. If you have even a minimal interest in "reality shows" like 'Blind Date' or 'Shipmates, this movie is a must see, because where these shows just scratch the surface of finding love, '20 Dates' takes you on the quest for love from beginning to middle to what I was hoping would not be the end. I'm not a big fan of narration in films, even if they are documentaries. I prefer to watch and understand a story as it unfolds, and I would have preferred it if this film didn't have to rely upon it, but as the title of my commentary suggests, it is really funny to watch. 8/10 stars from me.

Was this a mockumentary? Was it a documentary? Was it a student film. I will say this: it was funny. Some of it was obviously fictional, I just don't know how much. Was this a doccumentary which was re-edited with some scripted parts to give it pizazz or was it supposed to be this way from the beginning. It certainly kept me guessing. It wasnt' as good at its press, though it obviously impressed people at Slam Dance. It doesn't actually have anything to say about dating in Los Angeles, except in repeating the old adage about LA women needing an emotional sky-cap to carry all the baggage they bring with them. The nebish trying to get a date bit has been done so much better in every one of Woody Allen's films. So why do I like this movie so much? I have no idea. It's on cable now, so watch it.