How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - Jeannie and Michelle

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is the very archetype of a chick flick. Our two unlikely lovers meet, thrown together in unlikely circumstances - they have chemistry, but their conflicting interests threaten to derail both of their careers. Through it all, they reconcile for an implied happily ever after. Our main character Andie (Kate Hudson) is the "how to girl" for Composure magazine. Her love interest is Ben (Matthew McConaughey) "beer and sports guy" at a top ad agency. The two begin dating under equally deceptive circumstances, orchestrated by two ladies with questionable ethics: she is writing an article about the things not to do in a relationship; he has been set up on a bet to make a woman fall in love with him in order to land a large ad account. She drives him batty with clingy, obsessive behavior while he astounds her expectations by sticking with her through the teddy bear invasion, and the nick-naming of his penis, among other things. And while their lies and deceptions set up their courtship for disaster, we all know it will end well for these two pretty people.

In a gesture of desperation, Ben chases Andie's cab on his motorcycle as she is about to leave for an interview in D.C. It doesn't take much for him to convince her not to leave New York, which is rather stupid - it's implied that she blows off the interview in D.C., which is very unprofessional and disappointing. Andie should have gone anyway, and if offered the job, done the work from New York. Even in 2003, journalists were very mobile.

Jeannie and Michelle

Now then, for the friends. If I were so inclined, I could analyze the beta friends for both Andie and Ben, however I left the writing of this blog entry for far too late this evening as it is, so I'll just be doing Andie's friends, although it is certainly worth mentioning Ben's two tag-a-long buddies from the ad agency who almost mimic Andie's friends, as far as being co-workers and encouraging Ben in his deception and luring of Andie. It's interesting to note that neither one of them is ever portrayed as desperate and pathetic as Michelle is...

Jeannie
The first beta friend we meet is Jeannie (Annie Parisse), who sits at the desk next to Andie. It's never clear what her role is at the magazine, but she's a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a serious attachment to martinis. She is seen enthusiastically imbibing on several occasions throughout the film... Jeannie seems to be the happily single member of this trio, and teases Andie with a lot of easy spirit about her. Jeannie also doesn't have much patience for Michelle's romantic woes, and does her best to keep the other two on task at work and while on the hunt for a specimen to experiment on...

Memorable Quotes: "Remember that editor from Sports Illustrated that you have been shamelessly flirting with for a month now?" "Alright, I'll go. But I am not putting out." "Call him in the middle of the night and tell him everything you had to eat that day."
Screen Time: 7 minutes 15 seconds

Michelle
Beta friend number two is a whole other story. Just getting over being dumped after a week-long 'relationship', Michelle (Kathryn Hahn) is the inspiration for the article Andie is conducting her research for. Considering her devastation, Michelle cleans herself up pretty quickly with the help of Andie and Jeannie, and even assists Andie in her rouse by playing a couple's therapist. It almost seems as though the whole experiment is cathartic for her: watching Andie attempt to scare off Ben with the same behavior she engaged in with her latest paramour helps her see the error of her ways. She may be a little nutty, but she learns from her past mistakes, and when Mike turns up at her door, she plays it cool when he wants her back. Michelle starts out as a very dependent character, but in true rom-com form, her story is wrapped up happily, if not a little awkwardly.

Memorable Quotes: "The first time we had sex, it was so beautiful... I cried." "No guy would go running from you Andie. You could barf all over him and he'd say, 'Do it again.'" "Are you dating him or are you contemplating adoption?" "I see, Benjamin... And when was it that you first realized that you were attracted to other men."