"When it comes to being an asshole, you are a genius," an impressed Dustin tells his room-mate Tank.

Most people would take that as an insult. To Tank it's a compliment ? he has a sideline job as a matchmaker. But his technique is as whacked as his name. Man is dumped by Woman. Man calls Tank. Tank takes Woman on a date. Tank acts like, yes, an asshole. Woman is mortified. Woman thinks Man isn't actually all that bad. Woman and Man get back together. Tank gets cash.

But what happens if Tank falls for Woman? What if Man is Tank's best friend? Much hilarity ensues? Nope. Some genuine drama? Nope. A smattering of actual romance? Nope. Just more of Tank acting like an asshole.

And that's simply not enough to carry this slight twist on romantic comedy cliche ? even though Dane Cook is very believable as Tank. Perhaps too believable. Simply dusting off his sleazebag persona from 'Good Luck Chuck', he's simply too unlikeable to carry a film as formulaic as this. And if you're trying to show that there's a sensitive soul underneath the tough misogynist image, a single scene of him crying during Patrick Swayze-Demi Moore melodrama 'Ghost' just doesn't cut it.

Jason Biggs (the main guy from 'American Pie' who wasn't Stifler) also plays to type as the dorky, overzealous Dustin who continually finds himself in uncomfortable ? and unfunny ? situations. Having your eyebrows shaved off? What a laugh. It's no wonder Alexis (Kate Hudson) isn't actually too keen on him.

As the girl from the title, it's only Hudson who struggles with a role she's played, say, five times in her last five films. Usually charming and delightful no matter how bad the role, here she's got little to do but seem conflicted: one second she's calling Tank an asshole; the next her tongue is down his throat, stimulating your gag reflex.

Ah, yes, gags. There aren't too many that work in a disjointed script that relies too heavily on unlikely coincidences and scenes included only for the benefit of a single (unfunny) punchline.

Certain to, uhm, tank, what 'My Best Friend's Girl' needs is more heart, more brain, less asshole.