Matthew Perry's 'forgotten' rom-com with Elizabeth Hurley

In the wake of Matthew Perry's untimely passing, fans have been revisiting his lesser-known cinematic endeavours, including the 2002 rom-com Serving Sara, which paired him with British star Elizabeth Hurley—though it seems to have left many underwhelmed.

Serving Sara, a 2002 flick featuring Matthew Perry and British icon Elizabeth Hurley, failed to make a splash at the box office, scraping together just $5,750,000 on its debut weekend.

The plot centres around Joe Tyler, portrayed by Matthew Perry, who is tasked with delivering divorce papers to Sara Moore, played by Hurley, from her affluent husband.

Sara, however, is determined to dodge the papers, leading Matthew's character on a farcical chase that's meant to culminate in the divorce.

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes have not been kind to Serving Sara, handing it a dismal 4% rating, and audience feedback isn't much more forgiving.

One viewer lamented the lack of spark between Matthew and Elizabeth, commenting: "No chemistry with Perry and Hurley-and no laughs either. He serves her divorce papers, and they run around the country while Cedric the Entertainer talks on the phone."

Another viewer offered a tepid take, conceding: "I really can't say it is a very good movie. But at the same time it has dull scenes, it features some very funny ones as well." An honest review of the film came to light with one viewer remarking: "Honestly, I think there is some bad acting, and I didn't like Elizabeth Hurley in the film.

"I will, however, praise, as always, Matthew Perry because he's an excellent actor and his talent is seen in the film. So, it is not a very good film but not as bad as they say it is."

On a more sombre note, Matthew has since revealed that the production period of Serving Sara was a troubling chapter in his struggle with addiction , reports the Mirror US. In his poignant memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew delved into the dark realities behind the scenes, far from the humour that reached the audience.

Matthew recounted in his memoir how drug use impaired his performance during the shoot, causing scenes to be reshot due to his impaired speech. The situation escalated to such an extent that the movie's production halted for several months while Perry sought treatment for his addiction in rehab.

Following the release of Matthew's memoir and preceding the unfortunate loss of the Friends star, Elizabeth reflected on her experience working on Serving Sara during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment. She admitted: "I have very fond memories of him.

"To be honest, it was a nightmare working with him at that time, and, as it's now known, our movie was shut down because of his addiction." Despite the disruption, she went on to describe the period of forced hiatus, referring to it as a force majeure that left the cast and crew idly waiting.

Nevertheless, she also recounted: "We were in a force majeure and had to all sit at home twiddling our thumbs for some time. That was a little tough, but he came back, and he was fabulous."

Matthew's filmography boasts titles such as 17 Again alongside Zac Efron, Fools Rush In, and The Whole Nine Yards. Despite his illustrious career, Serving Sara was not a standout moment.

However, he will always be cherished by fans for his unforgettable portrayal of the witty Chandler Bing in Friends.