because the set design 

of jennifer anniston’s apartment 

resurrects the idea of a lower east side 

still occupied by wanderers

because at the end of the first act 

a statuesque hank azaria 

walks nude on the beach 

to commit adultery with the protagonist’s bride

against bob marley’s “jamming” 

because alec baldwin rocks suspenders

and a contrast collar shirt

as confidently as lumbergh 

and patrick bateman did before him

because the movie premiered 

111 days before

the series finale of friends

because of the final scene 

in which fates are reversed

as the audience sees ben stiller’s bare ass 

walking into the ocean 

leaving the lovelorn french scuba diver

with his loins covered

because though i have read 

francis fukuyama’s end of history 

along came polly 

for a run time of 90 minutes 

offered a late 90s sensibility

too pure for george bush’s america

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Gerard Manogue can be followed on Twitter @GerardManogue.