Ben Stiller is a comic genius. The guy has an innate sense of comic timing and a gifted writer able to transform the most mundane life experiences into hilarious gems. So, why does he insist on pigeonholing himself in a string of one-note performances in which he repeatedly plays the same character over and over again? How many times can we watch the inimitable Stiller suffer through some variation of restroom humiliation? How many furry animals must be subjected to insufferable abuse? How many Hollywood starlets must lose all sense of discretion and subject themselves to falling for his quirky, eccentric film personalities? Along Came Polly answers these questions with a resounding 'At least once more' as Stiller fills yet another film with slight variations of bits from There's Something About Mary, Meet The Parents, and If Lucy Fell to create an unimaginative and flat rom-com that is only saved from becoming a steaming pile of waste by the presence of Jennifer Aniston and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

       Although Aniston's part is lightweight, she does an excellent job combining her sex appeal and strong sense of comic timing to create a character who is instantly likeable in spite of her somewhat flaky ways. She plays well off Stiller although there is a palpable lack of romantic chemistry between their characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman is extraordinary, stealing every scene he appears in with a wacky and impeccable comedic performance as Stiller's best friend with illusions of grandeur. Hoffman's character is blissfully unaware of just how big a loser he really is and Hoffman plays it to hilarious perfection. Alec Baldwin, Bryan Brown, and Hank Azaria also provide chuckles in smaller roles.

       Stiller has a few moments when he really shines, such as a scene in which he shows off his newly developed prowess for salsa dancing. But, these flashes of brilliance are few and far between and the monotony of watching the same Stiller of previous films causes the story to drag whenever he's on-screen. Couple that with plot elements copped from at least a dozen other rom-coms and Along Came Polly amounts to a rather tedious 90 minutes of film viewing.

       Along Came Polly has just been released on DVD in 1.85:1 widescreen and a choice of DTS 5.1 Surround or 5.1 Dolby Digital. Bonus features include full-length commentary by Stiller and director John Hamburg; a silly featurette that introduces us to the film's ferret, Ronaldo; a selection of deleted scenes with optional commentary; a gag reel that features a funny little rap scene by Debra Messing; an alternate opening with optional commentary; and a standard-fare making-of featurette.

       Along Came Polly is a disappointing effort, a standard Stiller rom-com with brief flashes of hilarity that is saved from being a complete wash by the performances of Aniston and Hoffman.