Fridae

Stuart Townsend, boyfriend of Charlize Theron, is helluva cute. We're always thrilled to see him in movies like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Queen of the Damned, in which he takes off his shirt a lot. But when he goes behind the camera to direct his first movie, we can't say we're all that thrilled.

His directorial debut, Battle in Seattle, is a weak ensemble piece about the massive street protests in Seattle that forced the cancellation of the World Trade Organization summit in 1999. Although the film stars well-known actors like Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta, Michelle Rodriguez and Connie Nielsen, it doesn't save Battle in Seattle from becoming a well-intentioned but poorly-executed film.

Much of the problem lies in the script and direction. The lines are corny, the direction is weak, and the characters are incredibly predictable. There is the reporter (Connie Nielsen) who is so moved by the protesters that she decides to join them. Then there's the bleeding-heart activist (Martin Henderson) who is devastated when the protests turn violent. Then there is the conflicted lawyer Sam (Jennifer Carpenter).

The list of cliches goes on.

Even Stuart's girlfriend, Charlize, seemed to know how bad the movie would turn out. So she opted for a small role playing Woody Harrelson's pregnant wife. Smart girl.