Matthew Perry became one of the most iconic comedy actors thanks to his role of Chandler Bing in the legendary TV show “Friends” that aired for 10 seasons and broke countless hearts with its bittersweet finale. The role of a wacky neighbor has become a defining moment for his entire career. This, of course, doesn’t mean Perry didn’t try to escape being typecast, but alas, he failed miserably, not for the lack of trying.
What was he supposed to do when all of his Friends co-stars started getting fat juicy checks from movies and other TV shows. Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox were the most prolific of the bunch, but Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer were not too far behind. So Perry took a dip and got himself into the world of romcoms. Among several mediocre movies, there was one that stalled Matthew’s career for decades — the 1997 comedy Fools Rush In.
Apparently, neither Perry nor Salma Hayek were enough to save this sinking ship. The worst thing is that the movie was not that bad but it wasn’t good either. It was just stale and forgettable, especially for those viewers who didn’t care for either of the actors. The plot was quite elementary: a guy named Alex goes to Vegas on a business trip, meets a hot Mexican-American photographer Isabel, they both do a little dance, a few months later, she’s pregnant, and eventually, they decide to tie the knot. If you think the plot is cooked, let’s just say the script was not much better with predictable beats and cliche dialogues.
With all of its flaws, the producers expected Fools Rush In to be a success, mostly thanks to the two insanely popular and very attractive actors. It’s a shame that $20 Million was not enough to buy a few good reviews, as the critics tear the flick a new one. One of the reviewers called Perry’s acting “Pure TV: cuddly, bumbling, occasionally funny, and completely bland.” With a 34% score on RT, the rom-com bombed hard.
Today, Fools Rush In is considered a forgotten 90s gem by a select few but the fact remains — if it weren’t for this movie, Matthew Perry’s career wouldn’t be destroyed. Remember The Whole Nine Yards and Three to Tango? They’re both pretty good comedies that would make Perry even more famous but thankfully, his TV career kept him afloat throughout the decades.
Maybe his future projects will allow Matt to finally catch up with the rest of the Friends cast. Or maybe he stopped caring a long time ago.
