Attempting to skewer romantic comedies the way "Scary Movie" spoofed the horror genre, "Date Movie" might have two of the six writers from that franchise behind it (as it likes to brag in the ads), but that should have made it at least a third as good. The rest of the time, judging from those awkward silences during a weekend public screening -- the film wasn't screened in advance for critics -- many viewers seemed to be preoccupied wondering where those other four writers were when they needed them. Young male viewers who were weaned on the "Scary Movie" installments and were in the market for some raunchy fun also likely will be let down by the tamer PG-13 rating, meaning the 20th Century Fox release's date with DVD likely will come sooner rather than later.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.