Breakin’ All The Rules

views updated

Breakin' All The Rules ★★½ 2004 (PG-13)

Predictable romantic comedy stars Foxx as L.A. men's magazine exec Quincy Watson, who gets dumped by his fiancee Helen (Lawson) the same day his timid boss Phillip (MacNicol) wants Quincy to lay off 15% of the mag's staff. Instead, Quincy axes himself and takes his frustrations and rejections out on paper, writing what turns out to be the best-selling “Breakup Handbook.” Suddenly, Quincy is Mr. Advice for Phillip, who wants to know how to avoid the gold-digging Rita (Esposito), and Quincy's playa cousin Evan (Chestnut),who wants to dump his girlfriend Nicky (Union) before she dumps him. Complications ensue when Quincy unwittingly falls for Nicky and Rita goes after Evan thinking he's Quincy. It's contrived but well done, with Foxx smirking likeably and Union lovely as always. 85m/C VHS, DVD . US Jamie Foxx, Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Peter MacNichol, Jennifer Esposito, Bianca Lawson, Jill Ritchie; Cameos: Heather Headley; D: Daniel Taplitz; W: Daniel Taplitz; C: David Hennings; M: Marcus Miller.