Fans of the TV show "Friends" have watched over the past year as each member of the cast has taken to the silver screen in search of the same acclaim they've enjoyed on the tube. Thus far, none have been successful. David Schwimmer droned in the remarkably dull, THE PALLBEARER. Matt LeBlanc was humiliated with the monkey movie, ED. Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow garnered a little interest with smaller roles in SHE'S THE ONE and MOTHER, respectively. And Courtney Cox has shared Neve Campbell's spotlight for SCREAM. The only "friend" left to take a swing at movie stardom is Matthew Perry (aka "Chandler Bing").

Now, Chandler is my favorite character on "Friends," so naturally I'd want to see what Perry could do as a leading man. I wanted to see Chandler's quick wit and graceful physical humor, but I didn't want to see a direct translation of Chandler to the big screen.

As soon as the pre-release commercial blitz began, I knew FOOLS RUSH IN would not meet my hopes. I saw a threadbare premise, jokes to groan at and clips of Perry that screamed out "Chandler Bing."

When I got to the theater, my lowered expectations bore out. Perry plays Alex Whitman, a construction site manager for a nightclub chain. He flies to Las Vegas to oversee the opening of a club that will put him first in line for the job of creating the flagship club in his home town, Manhattan. Shortly after arrival, he has a one-night stand with one Isabelle Fuentes, played by the gorgeous Salma Hayek. Isabelle vanishes the morning after, returning three months later to tell Alex she's pregnant. Shortly afterward, the two elope. The rest of the movie is a comedy of culture clashes over a backdrop of confused emotions as the two negotiate with their new-found responsibilities.

FOOLS RUSH IN takes a while to build its humor. After the first 15 minutes had passed, I began to wonder if I'd ever laugh. What humor there was seemed predictable. And Matthew Perry just didn't seem as funny doing Chandler without an ensemble cast to play off of. A third through the movie, I could count my laughs on one hand.

Eventually, FOOLS RUSH IN improved. Despite their predictability, I liked the scenes between Isabelle's brothers and Alex, as well as the clashing in-laws. Isabelle's relationship with her mom was cute and funny. Most of the jokes are in the trailer, but some you can catch only in the film.

FOOLS RUSH IN stands in that grand tradition of "romantic-comedy." And like the comedy, the romance was sweet but shallow. I never bought the bonds of deep affection that must tie Alex and Isabelle. We are supposed to see them as a confused, unlikely couple, to be sure, but the love that would conquer all never seemed up to the battle. They were nice and romantic, acting out the part of newlywed strangers, but right up to the credits, I wondered why they were together at all. I've heard rumors that Hayek and Perry did not get along on the set, which may have affected their performance. But the problem seems to lie equally with the script that rarely indicated more than an idealized attraction of Alex for Isabelle. And I was never quite sure why Isabelle wanted Alex beyond his role as the father of her child.

FOOLS RUSH IN was targeted for a Valentine's Day audience that would cherish it's cuteness and forgive its shortcomings. Valentine's Day is now past and FOOLS RUSH IN has probably done all the business it's going to do. It might not be a bad video rental. But for those wondering if they should try to catch this movie while it's still in theaters, well... the title speaks for itself.

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