Along Came Polly is a 2004 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg.
An insurance actuary who's afraid of risk (Stiller) makes a living analyzing risk for insurance purposes, but finds his wife (Messing) cheating on him on their honeymoon with a French scuba instructor (Azaria). Distraught, he gets involved in a risky romance with an extroverted former classmate (Aniston), only to find his wife desperate to rekindle their marriage.
This film falls within a cross-genre film type from the late 1990s and early 2000s in which grooms are saved, or nearly saved, from distasteful marriage. Adam Sternbergh, The Devil Wears Pearls: In recent movies, grooms across America flee their frigid fiancees, Slate, January 28, 2004
Can a risk-averse insurance salesman on the rebound from his bride's infidelity (during their honeymoon) find happiness with a waitress he knew in junior high who's averse to commitment? Reuben is a sweet klutz who's ready to settle down but sees in her a chance to recover from disappointment and have some fun; Polly is a sweet itinerant, not ready to settle down but sees a chance to spend time with a nice guy who likes her. What will he do when his bride comes crawling back? What will Polly do, when he runs the numbers and thinks she's a good risk? Sub-plots involve his self-centered pal, who's a has-been actor, and an assignment to assess the insurability of a balls-out Aussie. Written by
Risk analyst Reuben Feffer loses his wife on their honeymoon when he discovers her doing the nasty with a scuba instructor. When he returns home, Reuben's friend and coworkers try to cheer him up and take him out to meet new people. He has a chance encounter with middle school classmate Polly Prince. The movie then follows the dating of Reuben and Polly, he an anal retentive risk avoider and she a free spirited wanderer. When Lisa, Reuben's wife, returns from her fling with Claude Reuben must choose to take back his cold-hearted wife or run with the commitment-fearing Polly. Written by FMJ_Joker
