The Hottie & The Nottie
By Cyril Pearl -- Video Business, 4/14/2008
LIBERATION/GENIUS
Street: May 6
Prebook: none
> Sub-par comedy starring socialite Paris Hilton.
The fact that this film received a theatrical release to more than 100 theaters is amazing—there are so many superior films that don’t even receive a token theatrical run. Paris Hilton stars as a singular “hottie” who has vowed chastity until her roommate (Christine Lakin), a “nottie” covered with warts, pimples and sores, snags a boyfriend of her own. This, of course, is bad news to the young man (Joel David Moore) who has had the hots for the hottie for more than 20 years. Lots of crass and crude material follow as the “nottie” gets a makeover and the “hottie” attempts to act hot. Hilton might be the most overexposed personality in the media, but she sure isn’t much of a presence in this film. There are barely any titillating sequences or dashes of near-nudity to be found in this PG-13 affair, which is too bad since that may have drummed up some interest from those who’ve seen the blonde heiress’ famously risqué performance in her infamous homemade videotape. But as it is, this silly and surprisingly low-budget film (Hilton is credited as executive producer) is simply a “nottie.”
Shelf Talk: Ms. Hilton’s previous DVD outings—2006’s Bottoms Up and National Lampoon’s Pledge This!—didn’t cause much of a stir at the marketplace, but that isn’t stopping Hottie’s distributor from mounting an all-out media campaign for her latest title. The planned PR and marketing campaign includes TV, radio and print advertising as well as online campaigns with MySpace, Facebook, HotOrNot.com and Stardoll, among others. A text message campaign to reach the Y Generation also is being being readied.
Comedy, color, PG-13 (crude humor, language, sexual situations), 91 min., DVD $24.95
Extras: cast commentary, featurette, blooper reel, mockumentary
Director: Tom Putnam
First Run: L, Feb. 2008, <$1 mil.
