क्रुएल इंटेंशन्स 3

Yes this is another one of those laughers where a 30something (Smith) tries to play a 20 year old college boy lothario. That is a time tested Hollywood tradition, and not unexpected in a movie of this caliber. What really tests any semblance of credibility is the 'college' itself. Trust me, there isn't a real college anywhere this side of an internet diploma mill that looks like this one. What you really have depicted here is one of those $2500.00 three day weekend seminars where art history majors and trust fund freelance photographers go to get a couple hours instruction in Photoshop tweaks on how to produce fine art prints with inkjets, or something along that line. Lots of time at the pool, plenty of time for sex games among the precocious Botox and Power Peel set, and one or two hangover busting workshops looking at digital slides.

The only sex scene really worth anything is when the Evil Nerd does a quick and nasty 'back seat' style hump on a cute blonde one night on the grass in the resort courtyard. A little bare tit shows up, and the blonde's orgasmic cries are slightly above porno grade.

The real standout, though, is the cinematography. Through careful photographic site selection, grimy and tawdry modern LA is distorted into a rather appealing collection of exotic faux Mediterranean and colonial California Mission locales where the vistas are always bathed in warm late afternoon sunglow or hidden among cool, seductive night shadows. This city hasn't looked this good since Jack and Faye explored it in 'Chinatown.' Or at least since the soap opera, 'Santa Barbara.'

Rent this only if you want to see LA presented the way the California Department of Tourism might want you to see it.