SANDRA Bullock carries on her recent resurgence with the romantic comedy All About Steve.
When intelligent - but quirky - crossword creator Mary Horowitz (Bullock) is set up on a blind date with handsome news camera man Steve (Bradley Cooper), she quickly becomes infatuated with him. Unfortunately it isn't reciprocated.
When an off the cuff comment by Steve results in the enthusiastic Mary traipsing across the country after him, his fears of his red-boot wearing stalker become all consuming.
But after an incident at an abandoned mine makes Mary the number one news story, he soon finds she may not be so bad after all.
Usually excels
Sandra Bullock usually excels at making even the most flawed or questionable character not only relatable but also endearing.
Whether it's a man-esque slob in Miss Congeniality or a stern, over-powering boss in 2009's The Proposal, you cannot help but root for her throughout the predictable three-act offering.
Sadly in All About Steve she misses the mark by a mile.
Portraying the off-beat Mary as a socially backwards cook, it is hard to know whether we are meant to laugh at her or pity her.
And by falling in with an equally odd crowd including three-legged baby supporters and large-nosed apple carvers; a suggestion that intelligence goes hand in hand with freakishness fuzzes the point of the film - if indeed there was meant to be one.
But Bullock is not completely to blame.
Shonky script
A shonky script by Kim Waters (the woman responsible for the instantly forgettable License To Wed) fails to find traction amidst the already questionable premise; while unimaginative direction by Phil Traill puts the final nail in the comedy coffin.
Respite comes in the form of Thomas Haden Church as the egotistical and one-dimensional on-air reporter, whose banter with Bradley Cooper (who succeeds in remaining on the right side of irritating) makes their scenes the highlights of the film.
But it cannot save this deeply flawed and disordered movie which desperately claws at creating connections before attempting an awkward, anti-Hollywood ending.
The occasional chuckle from this 99 minute muddled mess is the most you can hope for, with All About Steve failing to give the credit deserved to such an accomplished cast.
3/10 - A trivial pursuit.