Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
On the set of a playwright's new project, a love triangle forms between his wife, her ex-lover, and the call girl-turned-actress cast in the production.
She's Funny That Way is Peter Bogdanovich's attempt to revive classic screwball comedy, which gives it some nostalgic novelty in conception, but the execution is uneven. The plot is an overly convoluted farce with multiple intersecting love triangles that often feel forced rather than delightfully chaotic. The ensemble cast (Owen Wilson, Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Rhys Ifans) delivers serviceable performances, with Poots being a genuine standout, but the material doesn't consistently allow the cast to shine. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable for New York-set comedy. The ending tries to tie the screwball knots together but lands as more exhausting than satisfying, feeling rushed. The film earns mild credit for attempting a nearly forgotten genre but doesn't fully recapture the magic of the classics it emulates.