"My Boss's Daughter" would like us to believe it's a comedy. Unfortunately, there's very little or no evidence to back up that claim.
For one thing, a comedy is supposed to be funny, which this painfully forced and often offensive film is not.
In fact, perhaps the only positive thing to be said about "My Boss's Daughter" is that it's not as long — or as bad — as "Gigli." (Although 85 minutes of this monstrosity feels like an 85-year prison sentence, and saying it's not quite as horrible as Jen-and-Ben's 124-minute personal nightmare is faint praise at best.)
Pity poor Ashton Kutcher, who stars as Tom Stansfield, a researcher for a Chicago publishing house. Tom's a nice guy — perhaps too nice, which explains how he finds himself in a predicament when he's smitten with Lisa Taylor (Tara Reid), the daughter of his tyrannical boss (Terence Stamp). He agrees to house-sit for her and take care of her father's finicky pet (a depressed owl named OJ).
Due to a misunderstanding, Tom is unaware of what's expected of him. When he goes to Lisa's home, he actually believes he's going on a date with her, before being made aware that he's expected to house-sit. And things go from bad to worse when former co-workers and Taylor family relatives start showing up at the house.
Director David Zucker has made some funny movies ("Airplane!" "Top Secret!" the "Naked Gun" movies), but you'd have a hard time guessing that from this one.
And strangely, Kutcher and Reid have zero chemistry — strange because the two of them were actually dating when the film was made (last year, which should tell you how long it has been delayed).
"My Boss's Daughter" is rated PG-13 for crude references and sight gags about sexual and other bodily functions, violence (slapstick, as well as some gunplay), scattered use of profanity (including one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), drug content (done for laughs), brief sexual contact, use of racial epithets and ethnic slurs, brief nudity (male backsides and some artwork) and gore. Running time: 85 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com