White Chicks review

In the opening scene of White Chicks, two renegade FBI agents, brothers Kevin and Marcus Copeland (played by real life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans), try to foil a drug deal, but a case of mistaken identity thwarts their attempt at heroism. "Our intelligence was a little off," they explain. They could say that again. It's the only time in this affirmatively silly comedy that intelligence is involved.

White Chicks' director and co-writer Keenan Ivory Wayans has, along with his brothers Shawn and Marlon, helped establish the Wayans clan's reputation for producing lowbrow high concept humour. It's a tradition the trio continue with the fatuous White Chicks. Cinema history boasts many plots centered on men posing as women; two hilarious and memorable classic examples being Some Like It Hot and Tootsie. Needless to say White Chicks is not exactly in that league. Though it conjures a rare chuckle, its impact is forgotten well before the final credits end.

The idea of two black men passing themselves off as a pair of spoilt white socialites, à la the Hilton sisters Paris and Nicky, was the brainchild of Shawn Wayans who was inspired by a magazine article about Hampton socialites. What may have appeared on first thought to have been a good idea would, on the evidence of the resulting movie, have benefited from a second thought. One gag does not a movie make.

The tenuous plot on which this joke hangs involves the two inept Copeland brothers who, in a desperate attempt to win back their jobs following their earlier screw-up, volunteer for the task of minding the young Wilson heiresses Brittany and Tiffany (Maitland Ward and Anne Dudek). The girls, targets for a kidnapping ring, are heading to the Hamptons for the social gathering of the season. When a car accident leaves both girls nursing minor cuts, neither can face the ridicule of their privileged peers. Fearing the pair's non-appearance would jeopardize their jobs, the brothers go in their stead, transforming themselves with the aid of a conveniently accessible make-up and prosthetic team.

Their resulting appearance is more disturbing than convincing, with both resembling more statuesque bleached drag artists than the dumb debs. However, their dissimilarity barely solicits more than an occasional arched brow. Like all those the imposters encounter, including Brittany and Tiffany's friends Karen (Busy Philipps), Tori (Jessica Cauffiel) and Lisa (Jennifer Carpenter), it's better not to ask too many questions. There's little in White Chicks that bears up to much scrutiny. Such an improbable premise is best enjoyed by those who prefer the only sense in their films to be prefixed with the word 'non'.

For those, the sight of the brothers endeavouring to squeeze into figure-hugging women's outfits or fending off the advances of male admirers will provide plenty of laughs. And if that doesn't work, then there's plenty of good ol' reliable fart gags. Making fun of stupid rich white girls is all too easy. It's just watching it that's hard.