In thinking about peculiar rom-coms, Along Came Polly is a standout. With plenty of awkward scenarios, the lead actors Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller play it out with dignified humility. Through broken promises, there are newly manifested relationships and though there’s a hardship to be had before love can be formed, Aniston and Stiller portray their bond in a convincing and hilarious way.
When Reuben Feffer, played by Stiller, is left by his wife Lisa Kramer, played by Debra Messing, on their honeymoon for the scuba instructor, he, without a choice, goes back to his newly bought home without her. Initially, Reuben thinks that St. Barts has gotten the best of him, but when he runs into his childhood schoolmate Polly Prince, played by Aniston, his entire life becomes shifted for the better.
Ben Stiller as Reuben Feffer
Reuben and who he thought he would spend the rest of his life with, Lisa, began their marriage with infidelity. Though not in his plans, Reuben makes the decision to leave Lisa after seeing her being intimate with the scuba instructor on their honeymoon. When his friend Sandy takes him out on the town, he runs into an old friend from school, Polly Prince. Days later, Reuben decides to track Polly down and give her a call, and so he does.
In an attempt to stay cool and impress Polly, who has intriguing but very different interests from him, Reuben goes out of his element to land the girl he never blinked twice at growing up. Though he can’t dance, he attends a nightclub where Polly salsa dances. He also has a weak stomach when it comes to spicy food, but when Polly chooses ethnic restaurants, he seemingly has no other option.
Eventually, Lisa comes back home after her rendezvous, but Reuben knows his worth. He continues to see Polly until she is convinced that the two are good for each other. It may sound like he was faking his persona, but Reuben was only trying to go with the flow of life after having his heart broken. Having healed from his heartache, by the end of the film, Reuben and Polly go back to the same island where he took Lisa on their honeymoon. The two may have had a winding road to get there, but marriage between them is finally on the table, making Ruben’s efforts to win her over not wasted.
Ben Stiller is a highly acclaimed actor, working in numerous comedies. His films have garnered $2.6 billion, making him a fan favorite. Stiller produced and hosted The Ben Stiller Show where he received his first Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Program. Some of his popular films include Something About Mary, Zoolander, Tropic Thunder, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Meet the Parents.
Jennifer Aniston as Polly Prince
When free-spirited Polly Prince ran into Reuben and his friend Sandy, she couldn’t have imagined what would come out of it. Not because she was taken aback by an old flame, but because she wasn’t the type to think twice about a moment, as she is always going with the flow of life and hesitates to settle down.
Though Reuben was seemingly not her type, Polly gives Reuben a chance after he calls and hangs up on her several times in fear of rejection. Eventually, the two get a hold of each other and plan a night out. Polly may not consider their night a date, but Reuben is set on continuing their outings in hopes of making Polly his girlfriend. Reuben goes out of his way to impress Polly by learning to salsa dancing and eating the foods she enjoys, but it would take some time for Polly to see him as a lover. They try to become intimate early in their relationship, but tensions are high, as Reuben is slightly awkward, making their chemistry a distant yearning.
Eventually, Polly lets her walls down and accepts Reuben as more than a friend. They slowly but surely end up spending most days and nights together learning about the other, leading to a vacation away in St. Barts. Though the scuba instructor who broke up with Reuben and Lisa would come into their lives on the island, Polly stays faithful to Reuben, and they end up sticking together.
Jennifer Aniston is one of film’s most popular actresses. Her onscreen ability is unmatched, and she’s always cool, calm, and collected in her lead roles, giving her acting a distinctive character. Aniston was first known for her breakout role on the hit series Friends. Her role as Rachel earned her an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award. Some of Aniston’s standout movies are Bruce Almighty, Marley & Me, Just Go With It, Horrible Bosses,and We’re the Millers. Aniston has always been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Debra Messing as Lisa Kramer
When Reuben and Lisa take their honeymoon in St. Barts, Reuben stays back on their scuba trip and Lisa goes ahead with Claude, the debonair French instructor. When her scuba excursion is done, Reuben walks in on Claude and Lisa being intimate. Lisa runs after Reuben, but not to win him back. She gives him the worst apology by saying “We didn’t plan this.” Well, of course, it wasn’t planned, as Lisa and Claude had only met that day for the first time.
Lisa eventually flies back to the city where she runs into Reuben. In hopes of getting back together, she pleads her case as to why Reuben shouldn’t hold her infidelity against her. Reuben, however, doesn’t fall for Lisa a second time. Even if Polly wasn’t in the picture, Reuben was so over his separated wife that she barely even crossed his mind anymore. She may be beautiful, but faithfulness is a strong theme in the film, making her a far cry from being suitable for Reuben.
Debra Messing is most prominently known for her role on the sitcom Will & Grace. The show aired for eleven seasons and provided Messing with a platform to catapult herself into any movie she was interested in, especially after winning an Emmy in 2003 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Some of her popular roles include the voice of Arlene in Garfield, The Wedding Date, and Nothing Like the Holidays. Messing’s next film will be the 2024 gangster film, Wise Guys. The movie is currently filming and is due to release on February 2, 2024.
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Sandy
Though he is a supportive friend to Reuben, Sandy has his opinions, and he doesn’t hesitate to share them. He’s essentially the glue to bringing the comedy alive in the film, as his character acts in bizarre and unapologetic ways. When Reuben confronts Sandy about asking Polly out, he is quick to say that the two are incompatible and that because of Polly’s back tattoo, she isn’t the goody-two-shoe that Reuben thinks she is.
Sandy also has a lot going on in his life. He’s an aspiring actor and filmmaker who is seeking stardom in any role he can find. He stars as Judas in the play Jesus Christ Superstar but ends up stealing a better role during rehearsal. His peers have just about had it with him, as his rambunctious and intruding ways are too much to handle for anyone but his longtime friend, Reuben.
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman is known for his eccentric nature in film. He died at age 46 in 2014 but left behind a memorable legacy. He won an Oscar for his role in the 2005 film Capote and received multiple other award nominations throughout his career. One of Hoffman’s last roles was in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 which premiered in November 2014 just months after Hoffman’s death. Some of his prominent work includes independent films as well as mainstream movies like The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, Mission Impossible III, A Man Most Wanted,and three Hunger Games films.
Hank Azaria as Claude
As the main antagonist, Claude plays his part well. He’s the reason why Reuben and Lisa break up and has no remorse whatsoever. He’s quick to take advantage of the situation when he is left alone with Lisa on their scuba adventure and when the two are caught by Reuben, he has nothing to say about ruining their marriage and honeymoon.
Lisa stays in St. Barts with Claude for a good amount of time before going back to the city and trying to claw her way back into Reuben’s life, as she and Claude’s love affair lasted no more than a couple of months. Claude shows back up towards the end of the film when Reuben and Polly take a holiday on the same island Claude is instructing scuba. He offers the happy couple lessons but is rejected. Reuben may have fallen for Claude’s passivity once, but he wasn’t going to twice.
Hank Azaria is well known for his many comical features in film as well as his voices behind numerous characters on the sitcom The Simpsons. He’s won six Emmy Awards, an Annie Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Some of his popular roles are in Godzilla, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Love & Other Drugs, The Smurfs,and Happy Feet Two.
Alec Baldwin as Stan
As the head man in charge at Reuben’s business associates job, Stan plays a pivotal role in Reuben’s life. He shows up from time to time, making him an anchor for Reuben during his hard times. He’s a macho man with steel running through his veins and is an alpha by nature. He and Reuben are so close that Stan makes a speech at Reuben and Lisa’s wedding. Plus, he runs all of his business investments through Reuben beforehand because he regards him as the only one that he can trust.
Alec Baldwin is a highly regarded actor. He has received numerous awards as well as an Oscar nomination for his role in the 2003 film The Cooler. Not only has Baldwin been a big figure on screen, but he has also voiced numerous roles in films like The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Rise of the Guardians, and The Boss Baby. Baldwin has also done television work. Some of his TV series roles include Saturday Night Live, Will & Grace, and 30 Rock. He has worked in film since 1987 and has continued in movies like Beetlejuice, Miami Blues, Notting Hill, Pearl Harbor, and The Departed.
Along Came Polly received mixed reviews upon its release but was quite successful — earning $178.3 million at the box office. Though the main focus was on Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston, feature roles like Alec Baldwin and Hank Azaria made the film even more interesting as the story unfolded. The film was released in 2004 and is still regarded as a widely popular rom-com, making it favored more recently than ever.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
