Romantic comedies often get a bad rap.  Why ?

... because many romantic comedies made these days are simply devoid of original ideas and full of repetitive, unfunny cliched premises and plain old bad acting to boot.  

     With few notable exceptions, they follow the same basic theme of boy meets girl ( or vice versa ) ... followed by a series of convoluted, ridiculous and totally unfunny circumstances mixed with a group of silly secondary characters... and ending with the boy or girl losing the other.  Ultimately, some contrived unbelievable circumstance throws the couple back together for the cliched happy ending. 

     It's that "beaten til' it's raw" cliched formula that forced the once reigning romantic comedy princess Sandra Bullock... to all but abandon making that genre of film that made her famous.  Thankfully, that decision bore well deserved fruit for Bullock as a serious actress as shown by the accolades she's now receiving for "The Blind Side"

     Most romantic comedies of today are just plain dumb... retreads of cliches and unfunny characters  that we've seen countless times before.  With the new film, "When In Rome"... the modern romantic comedy hits a new low in stupidity... not to mention being one of the most unfunny comedies - in my opinion - that I've suffered through in a long time.

    "When in Rome" begins with Kristen Bell, playing Beth, a career focused, ambitiously driven museum curator trying to make her mark in New York City.  Beth's single minded objective is to impress her "tough as nails" boss, played by Angelica Huston with her business savvy... and secure the components needed for an all important museum exhibition.  However, in the midst of her important career stepping stone moment, Beth has to travel to Rome to attend the wedding of her younger sister... who's marrying a handsome Italian she's only known for two weeks.

    First cliched plot line.  How many films have we seen that begin with tough, career driven women... who's ambition for board room success... is derailed by a hidden, deep seated desire to chuck it all for the first really handsome hunk that comes across their path ?   

     Hmm... how many months has it been since "The Proposal" was in movie theaters ?  Just wondering. 

     As it's soon revealed, Beth isn't really that career motivated after all.  She's just marking time... making her job her lover because she's just had a string of bad luck in the romance department.  As soon as a man comes along that she loves more than her job... she's willing to chuck it all for the picket fence in the burbs.

     Anyway... Beth arrives for her little sister's lavish wedding, complete with cliched divorced parents played by Don Johnson and Peggy Lipton.  Of course, dad is a philandering guy who's dumped Beth's mom for a younger model.  ... and Mom, is the tight lipped, embittered scorned woman who thinks all men are pond scum based on her personal romanic misfortune.  

    Hmm... again, what a novel idea for unique character development... not.

    During the wedding, Beth the savvy, sophisticated New Yorker somehow transforms into a clumsy pratfalling mess... unable to give a coherent wedding toast and amazingly unable to fulfill an apparent local wedding custom of breaking a fragile vase into pieces.  The silliness of Beth being unable to smash or shatter the vase... this fragile vase... turns into what's supposed to be a comedy of errors and embarrassment as she tries in vain to break it. 

     You'd think the vase was constructed of titanium the way its tossed about... creating chaos at the reception.

     However, never fear... help and redemption comes in the guise of handsome best man, Nick played by Josh Duhamel.  Josh, of course, easily breaks the vase... and charms Beth in minutes.... and before long she's ready to give love a chance with this new stranger who's best quality thus far is being able to shatter a piece of faux decorative porcelain.

     Unfortunately, as Beth readies herself to open her heart to Nick... she sees him being kissed by another woman in the Italian courtyard during the reception.  Of course, Beth assumes the worst, that Nick has a girlfriend.

     Love has betrayed her once again.  So, she grabs a bottle of champagne, drinks herself into a stupor... but not before wading into an Italian fountain of love, verbally berates an Italian statue of the Goddess of Love... and oh yes, for some silly reason, Beth decides to snatch five coins from the fountain... before she's chased off.

     Spoiler alert here... but only because it's yet another cliche' ... the girl kissing Nick is a member of his friend's family who simply had a bit too much bubbly.  Oops, maybe Beth should have simply asked who the girl was before splitting the scene ?

     Here's where "When in Rome" really goes off the rails.  Apparently, the coins Beth pilfered cause the men who tossed them into the fountain to fall madly in love with her.  Turns out these four men just happen to be around the fountain at the same time... and become smitten all at once with Beth when she grabs the coins.

     Once Beth returns to New York... somehow, amazingly in a city of millions... these four men find Beth in the Big Apple and follow her relentlessly to profess their love.  How they get there... or know to come to New York City is never explained.  In this film, why bother ?

     Danny DeVito plays a pudgy Sausage mogul.  Jon Heder, a bizarre, over dramatic street magician.   Will Arnett is an Italian painter of questionable talent and ethnicity and Dax Shepard plays a narcissistic model who makes Derek Zoolander seem like Einstein.

     Again... does anyone wonder how these guys from Rome manage to easily find Beth in New York City ?

 ... Isn't the film called "When In Rome" ?  ... Does anybody really care at this point ?

     What happens next is a series of silly attempts by all to woo Beth... while, Nick tries his best to win Beth over as well.  The remainder of the film is a series of unfunny pratfalls, dialogue, and repetitive googly eyes by these poor saps in love with Beth under the spell of the coins.  ... and poor, poor Beth.  All she wants is true love untainted by magical coinage.

    This film might have had a chance if the relationship between Beth and Nick had been explored more between just the two of them alone... and in Rome.  After all, it is the eternal city where love flourishes.  Seems like a perfect setting to make a decent and original romantic comedy.  Yet, most of the film takes place in New York

 ... so, again, why bother to even call it "When In Rome" ?  ... Just a thought.

    The screenplay is full of unfunny gags from spinach caught in the teeth... to gift baskets overflowing with sausage as a gesture of true love.   Please... spare me. 

     One can't fully fault the actors in this film.  They try their best with the unfunny material they're given.  Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel could have had a great chemistry if this film gave them something truly romantic to work with.  DeVito, Heder, Arnett, and Shepard have their moments of humor... albeit few in number. 

     Shepard has the best lines as the self absorbed model more in love with himself than Bell.  Angelica Huston manages to keep her acting dignity by appearing in a few bookend scenes that require her to channel a brunette, museum curator version of Amanda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada"... and cash an easy actor's paycheck.

    Oh... can someone please explain to me why this film's closing credits is a lame and blatant "Slumdog Millionaire" dance routine rip-off ?

     "When In Rome" may not be the worst, unfunny romantic comedy ever made... but, it sure is a contender for top honors in that category.

     For more info about TV entertainment reporter / film critic, Tim Estiloz visit Boston Latino TV at : www.BostonLatinoTV.com  ... and visit Tim's website at : www.TimEstiloz.com