The Date Doctor's Lessons in Love

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Hitch is an enjoyable romantic comedy which had the audience spontaneously laughing and clapping in the cinema, right until the end credits. Will Smith plays Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchens, effectively a life coach in romance. Hitch works entirely on personal recommendation to the extent that many believe New York’s ‘date doctor’ to be an urban myth.

Hitch dispenses a variety of advice in the opening scenes of the film, saying that ‘any man can sweep any woman off her feet . . . he just needs the right broom.’ He enables his clients to create a good enough impression to get a first date. At this point, he says, ‘it is no longer your job to make her like you’, just ‘not to mess it up’, leading to the second date. On the third date will come the first kiss which ‘tells a woman everything she needs to know’.

Hitch advises his clients that women want to see ‘the real you’, that they should play to their strengths – if they are shy, they should be shy, not try to put on a display of extrovert self-confidence. Much of Hitch’s advice is typical of guidance given in communication and assertiveness courses, with a certain pressure to conform to society’s norms. Hitch tells his clients that 90% of the information that a woman gives comes through body language – if she fiddles with her keys at the door, for example, it’s a delaying tactic in the hope of a kiss.

Noting that, ‘life is not the amount of breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away’, Hitch is looking to create lasting relationships for his clients – but only for those who are truly looking for love. However, he laughs at a friend who suggests that Hitch is shallow and pathetic in pursuing brief relationships, and that marriage is ‘beyond anything physical.’ Hitch is very much a smooth operator, transformed after an early relationship in which he was a needy geek who declared love too early, into someone who espouses ‘no guile, no gain, no girl.’ Generally dealing with otherwise hopeless cases, Hitch feels that there is nobody better to teach others than one who has been through the transformative experience himself.

The central storyline of the film – and the real challenge for Hitch – appears when he meets new client, bumbling accountant Albert Brennaman (Kevin James), a loveable character who really steals the film. Albert’s case appears unusually hopeless: he is in love with Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta), a celebrity millionairess who employs his company to advise her on investments. Allegra is totally unaware of Albert’s existence – until Hitch provides the push. Alongside the slow, and less than smooth, progression of his client’s relationship, Hitch has a series of disastrous dates with Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), a tough-nosed gossip columnist who gives him further chances as, although he failed, he ‘did it with flair’. However, Sara wants to discover and expose the legendary ‘date doctor’, so when she realises it’s Hitch, she has choose between continuing a relationship with him or breaking the story.

The film has a number of memorable moments, including jet-skiing around New York Harbour, set against the still iconic New York skyline, a visit to Ellis Island, Albert’s dancing (the DVD has a nice ‘behind the scenes’ extra on this), a mistaken kiss between Hitch and Albert, and Hitch’s encounter with a stereotypically gay character who pretends to be a new client. On one disastrous date Hitch has an allergic reaction to seafood. The copious quantities of Benadryl (a good product placement opportunity) which he consumes to reduce the reaction makes him seem very drunk. As a result of this, the usually carefully guarded Hitch gives away far too many secrets to Sara, and they end up discussing defining moments in their past – moments which have made them what they are today: afraid to love.

Albert later accuses Hitch of marketing a product he doesn’t believe in, saying that love is ‘not your life . . . it’s your job.’ It becomes clear that Allegra liked Albert because he was himself, bumbling as he may be, and Hitch decides he must take his own advice. He breaks with his fears of the past and becomes less of a smooth operator in the pursuit of love. Hitch was struck by Albert’s characterisation of true love:

You know what it’s like getting up every morning? Feeling hopeless, feeling like the love of your life is waking up with the wrong man. But, at the same time hoping that she finds happiness, even if it’s never going to be with you.

The film is clearly a product of the early 21st century, featuring several current phenomena: speed dating, the necessity for life coaches (who effectively help you to identify your best points and make more of them), the belief in the possibility of true love with ‘the one’ (without the necessity for marriage) and the battle for women between careers and love lives (although Hitch ruins his career because of his pursuit of Sara). The number of product placements – mobile phones, coffees and mints among them – is interesting as the film makes many comments against ‘marketing spin’ and tabloid journalism. A message that is reiterated throughout the film is the need to ‘be real’; the worst thing is ‘faking it’, thus missing the opportunity for a relationship, or ending up with the wrong person.

Hitch is not just about romantic love – the film reinforces the importance of friendships, especially between Sara and her best friend who is, apparently, a victim of the Date Doctor’s advice. But In many ways, it is simply a love story in the vein of many that have gone before, with a layer of comedy added to appeal to 21st Century audiences. It reinforces some very positive messages, not least the irrelevance of class, physical appearance and smoothness when it comes to love, and the need to be real in relationships. Love is one of the great themes of the ages, evidencing itself in many different ways including in the Bible, especially in the book ‘Song of Songs’, and most notably in the following verses (familiar to many from wedding services):

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV).

As Hitch demonstrates, such love has transformative powers, and true love will win through – especially if the true self (rather than a false front) is presented.

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