Rumor Has It... (**)

The trailer for Rumor Has It... was funny and showed promise and an original concept. Turns out you should stick to the trailer. It's a much more satisfying moviegoing experience. That's not to say that the end movie is painful. It's not really. Just kind of lifeless, and inert. There's no energy or momentum, and nothing really interesting ever happens in the end. Jennifer Aniston is a bit more comfortable here than she was in Derailed, but she's not that impressive. Mark Ruffalo is doing the boyfriend schtick for what must be the umpteenth time now. Kevin Costner is still coasting on all the goodwill generated from this year's The Upside of Anger, and Shirley Maclaine acts like she's still in In Her Shoes. This is one high concept comedy that's a tad too concerned with pulling off the concept and dramatizing it, than making it funny.