'Failure to Launch'
The 35-year-old heartthrob jock Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) would seem to be quite a catch. There's just one hitch: He still lives with his folks. And once that fact emerges, the ladies he's dating take to their heels in no time flat, allowing Tripp to evade commitment one more time.

That's all about to change when Tripp's parents, Sue (Kathy Bates) and Al (Terry Bradshaw), hire professional "intervention" consultant Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to engineer a "chance" meeting with their son, and skillfully engender a sense of independence in Tripp, so that the pampered son will move out, giving them some elbow room. All this can be done, Paula promises, without even resorting to sex.

Such is the premise of "Failure to Launch" (Paramount), an uneven but oddly likable romantic comedy.

Tripp isn't the only one lodging with his folks well past the usual time. His buddies, Ace (Justin Bartha) and Demo (Bradley Cooper), have the same blissful lives of Riley.

As for Paula, she has a sarcastic roommate named Kit (Zooey Deschanel), a morose oddball driven crazy by the incessant sounds of a mockingbird outside her window. This is one of several tangential plot elements that add an endearing -- or strange -- quirkiness to the tale, depending on your point of view. Another involves Tripp, who it seems is "at odds with the natural world" and can't help being bitten by any creature he encounters: chipmunk, lizard or dolphin.

Paula's time-honored methods seem to be proceeding smoothly, but soon hit two big snags. First, she genuinely falls for the guy. Second, he fears she's getting serious, and moves into standard mode to cut her loose.

All sorts of romantic complications ensue, especially when Tripp's buddies discover Paula's true intent.

The overall tone is pleasantly amusing, rather than fall-about funny. Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember's script takes some peculiar turns. Early on, we learn that Tripp has a young nephew to whom he's devoted, and when we finally learn how it is that the cute African-American youngster can be related to Tripp, the reason is improbable to put it mildly.

Plot incongruities aside, director Tom Dey skillfully maintains an overall spirited pace.

There are some pleasing performances, with Parker at her most ingratiating, and Bates and Bradshaw a remarkably plausible pair. McConaughey doesn't radiate much charm above and beyond his well-chiseled looks, though perhaps some blame is attributable to the script, which keeps his character unyielding far too long. Deschanel, Bartha and Cooper provide variety as the cronies.

As Tripp works at the marina and enjoys the great outdoors, there are some eye-filling sylvan and aquatic settings all nicely photographed by Claudio Miranda.

Tripp is, as noted, an inveterate womanizer till Paula comes along, and predictably Paula finds herself breaking her no-sex rule when the situation requires "extreme" measures. And for a breezy lightweight romance, there are a few too many casually uttered expletives. Also, the unconventional Al is an eccentric who wants nothing more than a "naked room" where he can walk around au naturel (there are a couple of brief rearview shots of Bradshaw here).

Ultimately, the story is resolved in a moral way, and the film overall conveys a good message. You may find this an amusing spin -- with a surprisingly serious underpinning -- on a current phenomenon that's been dubbed "adultescence," provided you're willing to overlook those aforementioned disagreeable elements.

The film contains profanity, rough and crude language and expressions, implied sexual situations and banter, and a comic instance of rear male nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

The Hills Have Eyes (Fox Searchlight)
Grisly remake of Wes Craven's 1977 horror film about a family (headed by Ted Levine and Kathleen Quinlan) whose cross-country road trip derails into nightmare territory when they break down in the New Mexico desert and are terrorized by a clan of cannibalistic mutant miners. Director Alexandre Aja proves adept at building suspense and an unnerving sense of isolation early on, before plunging into stomach-churning brutality that escalates as it steams toward its ludicrous climax. Excessive and gratuitously graphic violence, including bloody killings and dismemberment, numerous ax attacks and shootings, a gruesome suicide, a rape, a person set on fire, cannibalism, a dog mauling, many disturbing images, much rough and crude language, as well some profanity. Ratings: O (R)

She's the Man (DreamWorks)
Breezy if uneven modernizing of Shakespeare's comedy of mistaken identities, "Twelfth Night," about a teenage tomboy (Amanda Bynes) who poses as her twin brother (James Kirk), enrolls in his coed boarding prep school to play soccer, and winds up falling in love with his/her jock roommate (Channing Tatum), who has a crush on a pretty student (Laura Ramsey), who, in turn, is smitten with the new "guy," leading to predictable romantic complications. Director Andy Fickman cleverly updates Shakespeare's plot devices -- mixed-up lovers, triangular attractions, and gender-bending deception -- to mostly good effect, and the film overcomes forced humor in large measure due to Bynes' effervescence, though its occasionally crude comedy makes it best suited for older teens and up. Some sexual humor and innuendo, a bathroom brawl between three girls, brief implied nudity, sports roughness, a few crass expressions, as well as an instance of profanity. Ratings: A-II (PG-13)

Thank You for Smoking (Fox Searchlight)
Trenchant black comedy about tobacco industry lobbyist (a perfectly cast Aaron Eckhart) who, under the approving eye of his boss (Robert Duvall), will stop at nothing to promote cigarette smoking, as he manipulates talk show hosts (Joan Lunden and Dennis Miller), an anti-smoking Vermont senator (William H. Macy), a Hollywood agent (Rob Lowe), and an investigative reporter (Katie Holmes), while wondering about the effect of his questionable tactics on his young son. Writer-director Jason Reitman's highly amusing and well-acted adaptation of Christopher Buckley's novel sustains its satiric stance without losing sight of the grave issues at hand. Much rough and crude language and expressions, a couple of sexual encounters with no nudity and sexual banter, an irreligious remark. Ratings: L (R)

V for Vendetta (Warner Bros.)
Provocative futuristic thriller based in London about a masked antihero (Hugo Weaving) who enlists the aid of a young office worker (Natalie Portman) to undermine a totalitarian government headed by an Orwellian dictator (John Hurt) and his cowering advisers (Stephen Rea, Rupert Graves, Tim Pigott-Smith). Director James McTeigue, working from a Wachowski Brothers adaptation of Alan Moore (uncredited by choice) and illustrator David Lloyd's graphic novel, has crafted a reasonably intelligent political allegory, with emphasis on character development, ideas and even a bit of romance, rather than simple mindless violence, the performances are first rate, and the film's theme of the individual's responsibility in standing up to tyranny -- while questioning the moral limits of opposition -- is worthy, and stops short of imparting a universal anti-authoritarian message. Some discreetly handled violence with bloodshed, a hanging, scattered profanity, rough and crude language and expressions, minor lesbian-themed flashback and implied gay male character, corrupt Anglican clergyman, attempted rape, sexual innuendo, drug use. Ratings: L (R)

Harry Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.