Failure to Launch

Failure to Launch
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Tom Dey
Produced by	Scott Rudin Scott Aversano
Written by	Tom J. Astle Matt Ember
Starring	Matthew McConaughey Sarah Jessica Parker Zooey Deschanel Justin Bartha Bradley Cooper Terry Bradshaw Kathy Bates
Music by	Rolfe Kent
Cinematography	Claudio Miranda
Edited by	Steven Rosenblum
Production company	Scott Rudin Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	March 10, 2006
Running time	97 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$50 million
Box office	$128.4 million

Failure to Launch is a 2006 American romantic comedy film directed by Tom Dey, and starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. The film focuses on a 35-year-old man who lives in the home of his parents and shows no interest in leaving the comfortable life his parents, especially his mother, have made for him there. It was released on March 10, 2006 and grossed over $128 million.

Tripp (Matthew McConaughey), a 35-year-old man, is still living with his parents Al (Terry Bradshaw) and Sue (Kathy Bates), in Baltimore. Tripp's best friends Demo (Bradley Cooper) and Ace (Justin Bartha) are also still living in their parents' homes and seem proud of it. Al and Sue are fascinated when their friends, whose adult son recently moved away from home, reveal that they hired an expert to arrange the matter.

The expert is Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), who believes that men continue to live at home because they have low self-esteem. Her approach is to establish a relationship with the man to build his confidence and transfer his attachment from his parents to her. However, upon meeting Tripp, she finds that he does not fit any of her previous profiles, having normal social skills and no problems with self-esteem. After an awkward encounter with his parents, Paula thwarts his attempt to dump her and has sex with him, all the while developing real feelings for him. She and Tripp find themselves sailing unfamiliar waters and confide in their friends.

Paula's vocation exasperates her roommate Kit (Zooey Deschanel), who believes that Paula took the job because she once had her heart broken by a man who lived with his parents. Paula, on the other hand, is shocked when she finds out why Tripp lives at home: his life collapsed when his fiancée suddenly died, and his family has been his source of solace ever since.

Ace discovers what is going on and blackmails Paula for a date with Kit; although Kit is more attracted to Demo, she and Ace wind up falling in love. Ace then outs Paula to Demo, who in turn reveals all to Tripp. Tripp angrily confronts his parents, and breaks up with Paula. Wracked with guilt, Paula refunds Al and Sue's money. After an awkward confrontation, Tripp manages to forgive his parents, but he cannot forgive Paula for manipulating him.