The Ex

Original title: Fast Track

2006
PG-13
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

18K

YOUR RATING

Jason Bateman, Amanda Peet, and Zach Braff in The Ex (2006)

Play trailer2:14

2 Videos

14 Photos

Comedy Romance

A slacker is forced to work for his father-in-law after his pregnant wife steps away from her high-paying job.A slacker is forced to work for his father-in-law after his pregnant wife steps away from her high-paying job.A slacker is forced to work for his father-in-law after his pregnant wife steps away from her high-paying job.

Director
- Jesse Peretz
Writers
- David Guion
- Michael Handelman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

18K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Jesse Peretz
Writers
- David Guion
- Michael Handelman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Charles Grodin's first film role in 13 years.

Goofs
Tom and Manny walk down a street supposedly in Ohio. In the background, however, we can clearly see the High Line, an abandoned elevated railway in Manhattan.

Quotes
Sofia Kowalski: [Abby March makes comment about how Sofia isn't a happy person and Abby thinks it's bad for baby Oliver] You know what I think? You're an idiot. And your son Petey... is a dipshit.

Crazy credits
"Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson is published by HarperCollins, but the credits write it as "Harpers Collins."

Alternate versions
SPOILER WARNING The version of the film on the Unrated DVD is drastically different than, and is in fact shorter than, the theatrical release. The plot point in which it is revealed that Chip was faking his handicap is never revealed. The following scenes are removed from the film:
The hospital scene where Oliver is born and named.
The scene where Tom plays basketball with Chip in a wheelchair.
The scene between Tom and Chip in the locker room.
The scene in which Chip reveals he can walk to Tom.
The scene in which Chip reveals he can walk to Sofia, Wesley and Wesley's father. (This appears as an alternate ending on the DVD)
The scene in Barcelona where Chip is at the Idea building. However, the Unrated version has several short new scenes including:
A bizarre dream that Tom has.
More of Amelia's Spanish speaking.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Spider-Man 3/Lucky You (2007)

Soundtracks
Drinks for Two
Written and Performed by Paul Williams
Published by Cypress Creek Music (ASCAP)/Ocean Ridge Music 1 (SOCAN)
Courtesy of 5 Alarm Music

User reviews63

Review

Featured review

5/10

Average.

Just like most people who've written reviews for this film, I too was excited to hear about a film staring two great comedians like Braff and Bateman. How could you go wrong with these two? However, with two inexperienced writers and one inexperienced director; it's not hard to see where this film goes wrong.

The script is at times, very poor and extremely lacking in intelligent or deep humor, the characters are one dimensional and there are a lot of pointless and derivative scenes. There is no real chemistry between Braff and Peet and the soundtrack is somewhat lacking.

It's really awful to see such amazing talents go to waste in such a simple and shallow comedy such as this.

There are however, some great ideas in this film; the only shame is that they are not explored in their comedic entirety. Braff and Bateman are as usual, wonderful and do the best they can with the characters and the script they were given.