User Reviews

Stuart (Stephen Merchant) is a gangly, awkward British web developer and landlord, who had a British girlfriend, named Trudy (Henrietta Miere) who started dating a jerk from work named Mike (Adam Campbell) breaking Stuart's heart. After Trudy breaks his heart and gets married to Mike, Stuart moves to L.A., finds a clumsy wingman named Wade, and rents an apartment to a former actress named Jessica. (Christine Woods) Stuart has acquired a taste for fashion models during his time in Los Angeles. Stuart meets a Russian model named Tatiana (Stephanie Cornielieussen) and plans to make Trudy jealous with his conquest. At the last minute, Tatiana breaks the date. Desperate for a date to impress Trudy, Stuart asks Jessica to step in, does Jessica agree? Is Trudy jealous?

There are so many funny scenes in this movie, laugh-out loud funny scenes. Christine's audition for a yogurt commercial, Stuart trying to pick up the Russian model on a boat party. and an unforgettable cameo from Nicole Kidman, The plot is predictable from beginning to end, but the jokes are so funny that the plot hardly matters. I never saw the TV show that this movie is based on, but this movie does a good job of explaining the backstory of the the TV show and being a stand alone movie of its own.

Writer and lead actor Stephen Merchant builds a world where a geeky, freakishily tall man can date Russian models, and it seems almost plausible. His delivery is so deadpan, that it makes the jokes even more funny. Christine Woods has a definite Julia Louis Dreyfuss quality about her and has excellent comic timing. The rest of the ensemble plays their roles to a tee and makes the entire movie a pleasant experience.

The movie is not long, and perfectly paced for a comedy. Sit back and enjoy.

I mostly enjoyed the brief series Hello Ladies, but by the final episode or so the one-note nature of the humor was wearing thin. Unfortunately the movie is just an elongated version of the series without enough meat on the bones (plot, character) to justify its length. About 1/3 is funny (if you liked the series's humor) and the rest is rather dull, i.e., just like real life. Highlight: an extended bit with Nicole Kidman playing herself. Unimaginative fairy tale ending for all concerned (well, maybe not so much for Stuart's assistant). The fellow in the wheelchair who stole one of the episodes with the funniest disabled character ever is hardly used at all here. And for somebody who is not impressed by so-called super-models I was bowled over by the "Russian" lady. Five stars for some laughs.

Stephen Merchant's "Stuart" embodies awkwardness — both in his physicality and in his bumbling, self-serving behavior. Stuart, in essence, is a gangly, bug-eyed, nerdy hybrid of Michael Scott and Andy Millman, the characters Merchant invented with — and for — longtime creative collaborator Ricky Gervais. Like Lisa Kudrow's Valerie Cherish in THE COMEBACK, Stuart's stressed-out efforts to fit in, to find acceptance provide the audience with delightful moments of skin-crawling discomfort.

It's the comedic equivalent of watching a horror-film ingénue slipping slowly down the creaky basement stairs, flashlight in trembling hand. We know the psychopath lurks in the dark, waiting to slice her to ribbons, but she just keeps descending step-by-step into the abyss. "Don't! Don't!" the voice in our heads repeats. But, it's too late. Our dim-witted starlet is confronted by her worst fears. With HELLO, LADIES (and THE COMEBACK) instead of screaming, we release our built-up tension with peels of laughter. We can't believe these characters keep setting themselves up for emotional disaster and ultimate failure. But, they do. And that's what keeps us tuning in week after week.

A lot of Stephen Merchant fans might be disappointed by the deficit of snarky smarm contained in this movie-length conclusion to the HELLO, LADIES season. I, myself, had to make a major adjustment to get in sync with the film's more tender, understated tone. Gradually, I found myself seeing the bold generosity being exhibited on the screen. Merchant and his collaborators were giving co-star Christine Woods the chance to show the world what she can do. At the end of the day, Ms. Woods more than rises to the occasion. Her performance is exactly what gives this splendid gem its sparkle — as well as its heart.

(Heart? In a Stephen Merchant script? Yes. Please allow me to elaborate.) Although I have most certainly not availed myself of every rom-com 2014 has had to offer, I truly enjoyed this one more than any other I have had the chance to see — studio or indie. That my favorite rom-com of the year is a Stephen Merchant vehicle? That, in and of itself, is difficult to get my head around. The formulaic rom-com genre expects certain things to happen. With a HELLO, LADIES script, the audience assumes that shallow, self-serving Stuart will most certainly muck it up. We certainly don't expect him to learn his lesson, grow from it, and — heaven forbid! —get the girl! I wonder what Ricky Gervais must think of his erstwhile partner's newfound introspection. None of the old Gervais/Merchant characters ever found even the slightest dram of self-awareness. How could they? They were never even aware of their own lack of awareness. Those characters were too busy winking at the audience, "Come on, now. Admit it! You're just as egocentric and self-absorbed as I am. So, let's flaunt our shortcomings and laugh at our mutual foibles." Since the original OFFICE, I've found lots of gut-busting humor in this ultra-cynical POV.

HELLO, LADIES (THE MOVIE) on the other hand, is not gut-busting funny. It provides some extremely humorous moments. Does Stuart make us squirm in our seats with his mewling neediness and crass social blunderings? Sure. That's Stuart. Does Nate Torrence's Wade get us giggling with his unabashed, optimistic enthusiasm? Yes-er-ree, Bob. Is Kyle Mooney's Rory a delightfully naive rube? Boy, howdy, he is.

But, Christine Woods steals the show. And, by providing his co-star with an opportunity to show her evidently limitless range, Merchant has generously unveiled a star to the world. In HELLO, LADIES (THE MOVIE) it's the charming humanity of Woods' Jessica that provides both the best humor and the most poignant pathos. Her understated naturalness is entrancing. Every line she delivers drips with subtext. She's a heartbreaker! I never thought I'd find myself tearing up as the credits rolled at the end of a Stephen Merchant vehicle.

Look out, Jennifer Annison. Thanks to the most unlikely star/writer/director ever, there's a new rom-com ingénue on the scene! Stand up and take notice,Hollywood. Christine Woods is on her way!