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Ivan Reitman's newest comedy is at times an unexpected charmer, due to the energies of stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson and the absurdity of the humor. Wilson plays architect and everyman Matt Saunders who, at the urging of his best friend Vaughn (Rainn Wilson in an effortlessly hilarious turn) approaches and woos the sexy-librarian-type Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman). Matt quickly realizes there's something a bit off with the neurotic Jenny, but when he finds out her secret identity as superhero G-Girl (we never learn what the G actually stands for), his doubts are momentarily quelled. As he becomes acquainted with the trappings of the superhero lifestyle, however — including Jenny's arch-nemesis (Eddie Izzard) and some damaging bedroom acrobatics — he is quickly disillusioned and breaks up with her. Jenny is not so easily gotten rid of, however, possessed as she is of an obsessive love that manifests in a mission to destroy Matt's life, especially when he begins pursuing an affair with coworker Hannah. The special effects, refreshingly, are used only in service of the comedy and don't overwhelm the story, whose mixture of rom-com and superhero genre tropes is a lighthearted, if formulaic, success.
