Montana Moore (Patton) should have it all. She’s pretty, she’s smart, she has a great job as an airline stewardess and has seen the world. But sadly, she’s unlucky in love. She’s constantly reminded of this fact by not only her friends but her mother, who Montana has been a bridesmaid for four different times. Now she’s learned her younger sister is getting married. Is there anything she can do in the next month to change her luck?
Best described as “cute,” BAGGAGE CLAIM is really a one joke film that succeeds at all on the performance of its star. Montana seems to be changing her luck. Her latest beau has invited her to Chicago, to spend time on his yacht. After their trip, he drops her at a local hotel, maintaining that he has a business meeting to prepare for. Curious, she goes to his home, hanging around long enough to see him with his pregnant wife. Alone again! Learning of her situation, her fellow airline employees devise a plan: given the names of all of Montana’s ex-loves, they will continually search their reservation computers looking for them. When one has booked a flight, they will inform Montana, book her the seat next to them, and hope sparks will fly. Sounds simple, I know. But non-stop travel, and horrible connections, keep Montana’s dreams grounded. Even the chance meetings that seem to go well backfire. The rap producer who talks a good game, the upcoming politician who scolds her for ordering her own drink, maintaining that the man must lead. Even the multi millionaire hotel worker tells her he’s not ready for a third marriage. Among her sounding boards is William (Luke), a neighbor she’s known for 25 years. William is engaged but that doesn’t stop the ending of the this film to be telegraphed 80-minutes before it happens.
Poor Paula Patton. With the exception of this past year’s TWO GUNS, she hasn’t been in a decent film in years. And don’t get me started on the current ABOUT LAST NIGHT. Someone this pretty (and talented) needs to pick better films, less she find herself on the pile of pretty and talented people that never made it. She tries her best here to keep the film going, but the story (and screenplay) hold her down. Same with Derek Luke. He’s billed above the title (mistake number one in telegraphing the film’s end) but has less time than almost any of the supporting characters on screen. A shame because he’s quite engaging on screen. Guest suitors like Taye Diggs, Boris Kodjoe and Djimon Hounsou are interchangeable: bald, handsome and well off. Only Jill Scott and Adam Brody, as Montana’s fellow air stewards, seem to be realistic characters. Also, even though the film takes place in Baltimore, with the exception of a few nighttime shots of the Inner Harbor it looks like it was shot anywhere but Charm City. The home of my beloved baseball team, the Orioles, deserves so much better.
Video: Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the film makes great use of its characters and their colorful destinations. Nighttime establishing shots are particularly bright and sharp.
Audio: Presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, the sound is well mixed. This is one of those comedies where on occasion everyone needs to talk over each other and the sound is well defined.
Audio commentary: Informative but standard commentary by Director David E. Talbert.
Promotional Featurettes: An assembly of four short featurettes, including “Fly Girls” (4:37), Wing Men (4:30), “The Story” (4:21) and “Interview with the Cast” (4:37). All of them are standard press kit fare.
Deleted scenes (9:05): Three scenes that neither hurt nor help the film. You can also bring up director Talbert’s commentary on these.
Behind the Scenes with the Director (2:36): Just what it sounds like.
Theatrical trailer
