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‘House Bunny' not worth hopping for

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Falling into the obvious comparisons fast, I will say that Anna Faris' “House Bunny,” while cute and funny at times, does not have the intelligent freshness of Reese Witherspoon's “Legally Blond.” Created by the talented team that brought us that movie, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, “House Bunny” owes what bright spots it does offer to Faris for her near perfect rendition of a bubbly, air-headed, well-meaning Playboy bunny with a big heart.

Faris, who is perhaps best known for her role as Cindy in the “Scary Movie” series, is a natural comic talent with impeccable timing. She plays Shelley Darlingson, an orphan who, after some personal “enhancements” as an adult finds a home in Hugh Hefner's (played by Hef himself) Playboy mansion. There she lives like a princess with dozens of sisters and a father who spoils them all. The day after her impressive 27th birthday bash, she is suddenly asked to leave the comfort of the one place where she felt like part of a family. Apparently, 27 is like 59 in bunny years.

Having only the old station wagon in which she arrived, Shelley decides to accept the car as her new home, but finds hope when she discovers sororities - “mini playboy mansions.” She learns about the role of house mothers and sets out to help a group of misfit girls at the Zeta Alpha Zeta house, who need 30 new pledges to maintain their charter. There is a group of bitchy sorority girls who are determined to take over the Zeta house property. The Zeta girls are stereotypes of all oddballs. There is Natalie (a wonderful Emma Stone), who is nerdy and socially inept to a fault; multi-pierced Mona (an amply dark Kat Dennings); uber-tomboy Carrie Mae (Dana Goodman), who goes over the top with gross manish-behaviors; Joanne (Rumer Willis, a tall, lithe replication of her mother Demi Moore), who is bound like a knight in some odd back straightening body armor; a very pregnant Harmony (beautiful Katharine McPhee); and two others, too dull to mention.

Of course, there must be a love interest for Shelley, so we have Oliver (Colin Hanks), who works in a nursing home and seeks out volunteers at the university, where he coincidentally runs into a clueless and barely- clad, Shelley. Hanks (Tom's son) is subtly wholesome enough to be believable and likable playing alongside Faris, and there are some funny scenes when they are on dates. Showing her impeccable comic timing and some witty writing, Faris, blinking with innocent honesty, tells a waiter that she is not very hungry so she will just have the mahi and not the mahi-mahi. She really saves “House Bunny” from being a disaster, because without Faris, it is little more than a cliché of every other film - most better - in the genre. “Sydney White” with Amanda Bynes, a film with the identical storyline, would have been even worse without Bynes.

As is necessary, “House Bunny” has its share of villains: one at the mansion (hint: 27 is not too old to be a bunny) and two at the university who attempt to thwart Shelley at every turn. Beverly D'Angelo seethes as a rival house mother and her clone “mini-bitch” Ashley is played perfectly by Sarah Wright, but I cannot say it enough; everyone and everything is painfully formulaic - even Shelley, if the truth be told - but Faris makes her delightfully lovable. I wanted her to succeed and knew she would. After all, “House Bunny” is that kind of film - predictable to a fault.

One minor pleasure can be found in Shelley's remarkable make-over of her charges. Soon after the girls, now sexy social butterflies, are throwing the hottest campus parties and new pledges line up to join.

Most critics look at the ridiculous predictable premise and can't see past it, but I say Faris saves the PG-rated “House Bunny” from being a complete waste of money and time.

I don't think I'd recommend paying full price, especially at today's theater prices, but it will find an audience. Most of the ladies sitting around me enjoyed it and the female set, particularly the teen to 20-somethings, make up the target demographic.

I am placing a C- in my grade book. That said, I still hope that this “bunny” film does not reproduce like one. Lutz and Smith need to seek out fresher material.

For more of Coker's movie reviews and chances to get free passes to upcoming movie screenings, check out her website at www.trueviewreviews.net.

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