Failure to Launch

{{Infobox film

| name = Failure to Launch

| image = Failure to Launch.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Tom Dey

| producer = Scott Rudin
Scott Aversano

| writer = Tom J. Astle
Matt Ember

| starring = Matthew McConaughey
Sarah Jessica Parker
Zooey Deschanel
Justin Bartha
Bradley Cooper
Terry Bradshaw
Kathy Bates

| music = Rolfe Kent

| editing = Steven Rosenblum

| cinematography = Claudio Miranda

| studio = Scott Rudin Productions

| distributor = Paramount Pictures

| released = {{Film date|2006|03|10}}

| runtime = 97 minutes

| language = English

| budget = $50 million

| gross = $130.2 million

}}

Failure to Launch is a 2006 American romantic comedy film directed by Tom Dey, and starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker alongside Zooey Deschanel, Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper, Terry Bradshaw, and Kathy Bates. The film focuses on a 35-year-old man living with his parents who shows no interest in leaving the comfortable life that they, especially his mother, have made for him. It was released on March 10, 2006, and grossed over $128 million.

Plot

Thirty-five-year-old Tripp still lives with his parents Al and Sue in Baltimore. His best friends Demo and Ace also still live in their parents' homes and seem proud of it. Tripp has many casual girlfriends. When he is tired of them, he invites them to "his place"—and when they realize he still lives at home, they promptly dump him.

Al and Sue are fascinated when their friends, whose adult son recently left home, reveal they hired an expert to get him to move out. The expert is Paula, who believes that men continue to live at home because they have low self-esteem. Her approach is to establish a relationship with the man to build his confidence, then transfer his attachment from his parents to her.

However, Tripp does not fit the profiles of Paula's previous clients, as he has normal social skills, good self-esteem, and a good job he enjoys. After some time dating, when he sees she might be getting too attached, he stages an awkward encounter with his parents. Paula thwarts Tripp's usual M.O. attempt to dump her by having sex with him, while developing real feelings.

Both Paula and Tripp find themselves in unfamiliar waters, so confide in their friends. Paula's roommate Kit, exasperated by her vocation, theorises that Paula created this essentially con artist persona because a man who lived with his parents broke her heart. But later Paula is shocked to learn why Tripp lives at home: His life collapsed when his fiancée suddenly died, and his family has been his solace ever since.

Ace discovers Paula's profession and therefore that she is duping Tripp, so blackmails Paula for a date with Kit. Although Kit is more attracted to Demo, she and Ace fall in love. Ace then "outs" Paula to Demo, who then tells Tripp.

Tripp angrily confronts his parents and Paula over the scam and breaks up with her. Wracked with guilt, Paula refunds Al's and Sue's money. After an awkward confrontation, Tripp has moved out and taken up residence in the sailboat he had been saving for. Over time he forgives his parents, but can't forgive Paula.

Tripp's parents and friends devise a plan to reconcile the two. They tie up and gag him, locking him and Paula together in a room. Paula pours her heart out, and he finally forgives her.

Al and Sue are finally in their empty nest, happily singing "Hit the Road, Tripp". This fades into the closing credits over the Ray Charles song "Hit the Road, Jack", as Tripp and Paula sail away on his newly purchased boat.

Cast

Matthew McConaughey as Tripp
Sarah Jessica Parker as Paula
Zooey Deschanel as Katherine "Kit"
Justin Bartha as Philip "Ace"
Bradley Cooper as Demo
Terry Bradshaw as Al
Kathy Bates as Sue
Adam Alexi-Malle as Mr. Axelrod
Tyrel Jackson Williams as Jeffrey
Katheryn Winnick as Melissa
Rob Corddry as Gun Salesman
Patton Oswalt as Techie Guy
Mageina Tovah as Barista
Stephen Tobolowsky as Bud

Production

The rock climbing scenes were filmed in Cherokee Rock Village in Leesburg, Alabama.{{cite web|title=Cherokee Rock Village|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3105|publisher=encyclopediaofalabama.org|access-date=31 March 2019}}

One of the chipmunks used in the film was killed when a handler slipped on the set and fell, crushing the chipmunk.{{cite web|title=Animals Were Harmed|last=Baum|first=Gary|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=23 July 2024|date=25 November 2013|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/animals-were-harmed-hollywood-reporter-investigation-on-set-injury-death-cover-ups-659556/}}

Release

In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $24.6 million, ranking first in the United States box office results for that weekend. The film grossed a total of $88.7 million in the United States box office and made $128,406,887 worldwide.{{cite web|title=Failure to Launch|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=failuretolaunch.htm|publisher=BoxOfficeMojo.com|access-date=6 January 2013}}

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 23% based on 152 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10. The site's critics consensus states: "The few comic gags sprinkled throughout the movie fail to spice up this formulaic rom-com."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/failure_to_launch|title=Failure to Launch (2006)|access-date=June 13, 2024|website=Rotten Tomatoes}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{Cite web |title=Failure to Launch Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/failure-to-launch |access-date=February 2, 2023 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc.}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com|title=Find CinemaScore|format=Type "Failure to Launch" in the search box|publisher=CinemaScore|access-date=March 7, 2021}}

Richard Roeper stated the film was "completely unbelievable". Some otherwise unfavorable reviews singled out Zooey Deschanel's performance as the film's highlight.{{cite web|last=Zacharek|first=Stephanie|title=Failure to Launch|url=http://www.salon.com/2006/03/10/failure_2/|work=Salon.com|access-date=6 January 2013|date=10 March 2006}}{{cite web|last=Rabin |first=Nathan |url=https://www.avclub.com/failure-to-launch-1798201543 |title=Failure To Launch | Film |publisher=The A.V. Club |access-date=2010-08-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=8829 |title=Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies |publisher=Film Threat |date=2006-04-16 |access-date=2010-08-11}} Stephanie Zacharek of Salon wrote that "Even with a relatively small role, she blows the whole movie to smithereens".