Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 2 ratings
At 35, Tripp has an interesting job, a hip car, a passion for sailing, an active dating life, and a great house - trouble is, he still lives with his parents, Al and Sue, who are not happy about it. Al and Sue are fascinated when friends whose adult son has recently moved away from home reveal they hired an expert to help. In desperation to push Tripp out of the nest once and for all, Al and Sue hatch a plan to hire Paula, an "interventionist," who has a formula in these cases.
Failure to Launch is a fairly generic mid-2000s romcom with a mildly amusing premise that it doesn't push very far. The plot is formulaic — the fake-relationship setup leads predictably to exposure, fallout, and reconciliation with little surprise. McConaughey and SJP have moderate chemistry but the script doesn't give them much to work with beyond the central conceit. Cinematography is standard studio romcom fare, pleasant but undistinguished. The film offers little novelty — the 'man-child living with parents' hook was familiar territory and the intervention framing adds little distinctiveness. The ending resolves tidily but without emotional payoff that earns it. A watchable but deeply average entry in the genre.