BY BOB STRAUSS >FILM CRITIC

Toby Young is a snarky English writer who's turned his brief, disastrous stint on the staff of Vanity Fair magazine into articles, stage performances and the best-selling book "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People."

That memoir has now been fictionalized for the movies, sometimes with cutting wit and just as much with slapstick in mind. The film can be quite funny and maintains a devilish but fair outlook on high-end celebrity journalism. But I think it makes the Young character a lot more sympathetic than he probably is.

Called Sidney in Peter Straughan's screenplay and played by "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead's" indispensable Simon Pegg, Young has both a chip on his shoulder and a spectacular ability to do the most inappropriate things at the worst possible times. Trying to crash a London soiree with an incontinent pig earns him a headlock from Clint Eastwood but also a call from Sharps magazine editor Clayton Harding (Jeff Bridges).

Seems Harding sort of likes Young's irreverent style (for those not in the know, VF editor Graydon Carter founded the famous-bashing Spy magazine before surrendering to the Dark Side), and offers him a low-level job.

Once in New York, Young proceeds to wear, say and do the wrong things with astounding consistency. Sometimes it's intentional, but mostly it's just out of stupidity. (We later find out that Sidney comes from a highly educated, titled household, which makes his come-and-go cockney accent kind of suspect, too). The movie gives him a hate-at-first-sight co-worker/love interest, Alison Olsen (a very good Kirsten Dunst), who comes to respect his oddball integrity, and to whom Sidney can reveal his deeply buried nice guy.

There are also the predictable back-stabbers and power publicists, narcissistic young filmmakers and little lapdogs to deal with.

Special credit goes to Megan Fox for playing herself ... no, is she? Whether Fox is acting or not, she perfectly nails the rising superstarlet Sophie Maes, a genius at getting attention and manipulating Sidney's lust, if not much else. And their only-in-the-movies reporter-actress relationship is consummated beautifully at the kind of awards show that I've always wanted to see.

Director Robert Weide, the executive producer of Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" series, fumbles his timing now and again while trying to juggle "Alienate's" cruder and more sophisticated jokes, and especially during attempts to give Sidney extra heart and soul.

And while many of the journalistic details were squirm-makingly recognizable (to me, anyway), others felt like sheer fantasy (those usually involved lots of money). But overall, it's a smart movie that even makes apt, respectful references to the greatest film on this subject, Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita." I'm friendly toward it.

Review

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE

R: nudity, language, drug use.

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Megan Fox, Danny Huston.

Director: Robert Weide.

Running time: 1 hr. 49 min.

Playing: Wide release.

In a nutshell: Sometimes clownish but generally droll tale of an English celebrity journalist who does everything wrong in New York. Based on Toby Young's memoir.