Anna Farris goes from hanging with the hotties to hanging with the notties in the comedy THE HOUSE BUNNY. Farris is Shelly, a Playboy bunny, who is evicted out of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy mansion, after she becomes over-the-hill at the staggering age of 29. With nowhere to go, Shelly stumbles aimlessly around town until she comes to the Zeta Alpha Zeta sorority house. The sorority is on the verge of being disbanded by the university due to lack of pledges, but Shelly may be just what the Zetas ordered. Shelly is hired as the house mom for the Zetas, as the sorority plans on utilizing Shelly’s assets as a Playboy bunny to earn their clan the required amount of pledges to remain an active sorority.
THE HOUSE BUNNY is the Paris Hilton or Britney Spears of comedies. It’s not naughty enough for adults and not pristine enough for young girls, and in the process turns out to be something that teenage girls and boys may enjoy, but probably shouldn't be viewing. I presume THE HOUSE BUNNY fashions itself as the next LEGALLY BLONDE, but unlike BLONDE, BUNNY is more concerned with crudity and less concerned with cleverness. Make know mistake, LEGALLY BLONDE is not ANNIE HALL when it comes to comedy, but it knew its audience and did a wonderfully playful and funny job in its fish-out-of-water comedy. THE HOUSE BUNNY can’t decide on its audience, and despite some funny moments, it can’t find any consistency in its characterization of Shelly. Is Shelly really as stupid as she appears? Is she street smart, or at least boy smart? Is she naughty or nice? The film never answers these questions. THE HOUSE BUNNY leaves Farris with a mess of a character, and remarkably she makes something out of nothing. Although its hard to place a finger on the true nature of Shelly, Farris still enables the former Bunny to be endearing, cute and sometimes even wise, in her own way. THE HOUSE BUNNY isn't as bad as it appears, and isn’t as good as it could be, its simply a tease for high school boys, and something that feels edgy for teenage girls.
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