If you've ever hung out with two lifelong best friends, you know how I felt in watching the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. You know the kind of friends I'm talking about - the ones who know each other so well that they laugh at the other's joke or funny story before it's over because they already know the punch line. They have tons of in-jokes that fly over your head and when you ask them what's so funny, they respond with a cryptic "You had to be there." Throughout the Hitchhiker's Guide I felt like I was missing something.

I have never read any of Douglas Adams series, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, although the books have a strong cult following. As the legend goes, British author  Douglas Adams, always wanted to bring his books to the big screen. They were successful on BBC radio and even as a British mini series in the 80's but Adams wanted more. Several Hollywood studios took a shot at the book and Adams wrote several screenplays but the studios and the author could never agree on the premise or the budget for the sci-fi film. Finally, the project bounced back to Britain where it was finally produced using one of Adams scripts. Unfortunately Adams, at age 49, died of a heart attack before he could see the completed project. I wonder would he have been pleased with the results.

Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) wakes one morning to find that bulldozers are about to demolish his home to make way for a freeway by-pass. Little does he know that an alien race of Vogons have the same plans for the Earth. Lucky for Arthur, hiss best friend, Ford Prefect (Mos Def) just happens to be an alien who manages to save him just in the nick of time. The two hitchhike their way through space with the help of the Hitchhiker's Guide (voiced by Stephen Fry). Along the way they meet up with Ford's half brother of sorts, galaxy president, Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), a depressed robot named Marvin (voiced by Alan Rickman) and the last woman from earth Tricia/Trillion (Zooey Deschanel) , who coincidentally dumped Arthur for Zaphod at a party before the end of the world. The gang then set out to find the meaning of life.

When the movie opened, with a musical number by dancing dolphins (the second most intelligent species on Earth, man was third), I knew I was going to love it. But the rest of the movie never lived up to that initial promise of irreverent fun. I laughed at the Vogons. As the movie's villains, they weren't inherently evil just hopelessly bureaucratic and mired in red tape. These subtle, smart comic commentaries made me interested in reading the books but there just weren't enough of them to keep me interested in the movie.

I get the feeling that the books aren't so much about plot and getting to a particular destination than they are about having fun on the journey. That might work in the books but it's harder to do in a film. There are funny moments an a few good scenes but I had the feeling that we were moving nowhere slowly. For instance, there is a scene (that wasn't featured in any of the books), involving Humma Kavula (John Malvokich), as a religious leader and presidential rival to Zaphod. While it's quirky and interesting, it has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the plot of the movie. Adams also added a love story between Arthur and Tricia but that too is awkward and takes away from the momentum and the satire that they are going for.

Like most people, if you loved the books, you'll probably hate this movie, although you'll understand it better than those of us who haven't read them. If you haven't read the books, maybe you should. I have a feeling the Hitchhiker's Guide makes a better read than it does a film.