Customer Reviews

Must Love Dogs

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(47)
2 star:		(27)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Diane Lane plays a believable 40 yr old pre-school teacher, Sarah Nolan, who recently got divorced. She is receiving all kinds of help and suggestions for finding a date from her two sisters, three brothers, widower dad, and even an elderly Aunt. Sarah resists all of their efforts until Sarah's sister completes an Internet Dating service questionairre on her behalf. She describes Sarah as "voluptuous" and also adds the sentence "must love dogs". The only photo she has of Sarah is her graduation pic which she places on the site. In the meantime, Sarah is also introduced to the dad of one of her students who is handsome, Italian-looking, and with whom Sarah exchanges compliments. There is obvious chemistry between them but Sarah made a vow which she intends to keep to never to date one of her student's dads. Yet, she develops a crush on him. The real comedy starts when Sarah answers one of the 18 voice messages she receives on the computer dating service. She agrees to meet with Jake, played by John Cusack. They meet at a park for walking dogs, each of them had "borrowed" a dog for the occasion. The lines they exchange as they check each other out are hilarious ... Their first date to an ethnic Armenian restaurant is fabulous and so realistic. The conversation between them is great and memorable. Other amusing moments in the film are when Jake and his lawyer friend are watching "Doctor Zhivago" at home, discussing its merits related to modern dating. Just the fact of two guys viewing Doctor Zhivago ... when neither of them has a date is amusing and their rating it as the ideal romantic film is highly ironic.

This film is laughing out loud funny as it mimics real world ironies on many levels for adult dating, whether divorced, single, or widowers, the film works for them all. Many experiences between Sarah and Jake parody real-life and are hugely funny. Sarah and Jake stop seeing each other due to a misunderstanding where a love triangle develops, involving Bob, the pre-school pupil's dad. After breaking up with Jake, Sarah answers many internet dates, each one is worse than the next. Sarah eventually sleeps with Bob but under false pretext ... which she eventually realizes and drops Bob, accusing him of having "used her" when she was vulnerable. He acts innocent of all charges hurled verbally at him. Sarah's dad inadvertantly meets Jake outside a coffee shop as Jake is taking his hand-made row boat out for the last time .. before it is sold to be mounted on a wall. Jake shares some of his sentiments of lost love with Sarah's dad - not knowing who he really is. Sarah's dad quotes Jake to her and Sarah then realizes whom her dad had met ... She awakens to the fact Jake truly cares for her and she pursues him. The film is completely satisfying on all levels. It has technical merit, great comedy because it mimics real life so well. The actors and actresses are all perfect for their respective roles. Although this film is comparable to many "formula" films of "boy meets girl", "they fall in love", and "they live happily ever after", the most important aspects of this film are its modern twists and unique differences, making it a summer favorite worth discovering for oneself.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

I happened to glance at a few reviews posted here and I must say I'm shocked that they are so ascerbic. What did you expect from a romantic comedy Dr. Zhivago! (If you see the movie you will apreciate my comment). I'll make it simple for you if you now find yourself at this review and are trying to decide if you should buy or rent this movie. Well I suggest you buy it because as they say once in not enough. Diane Lane will positively blow you away with her charm, grace, style, warmth, and ability to deliver quick staccato peppery dialogue. She is wonderfully appealing and is easily one of the best actresses out there today. Yes cudos go to those around her but it's the divine Miss Lane who runs away with this one. She has that ability to reach out through the screen and pull you into her life. Calling it acting would be an injustice to her craft. She makes her character a living, breathing, touching life that makes you want to hug her and hold her close and say......I'm sorry that husband of yours ever caused you to cry. You deserve better....you deserve love.....you deserve happiness....hell.....you even deserve a Golden Globe! Run.....don't walk.....and get it today. It's a keeper!

You just can't help loving "Must Love Dogs," at least if you like anything in the situation-romance genre. It's well-acted, well-photographed, and has a really excellent, witty, screenplay.

You've seen the story before, alas, and that's why I took 2 stars off the top. Diane Lane and John Cusack do credible performances as recent divorcees whose meddling families and friends are always trying to set them up. After the usual fumbling and bumbling and misconstrued circumstances, of course they hook up. On the way, they have some interesting dates (that clever screenplay including Lane answering an ad from her own father and Dr. Zhivago-adoring Cusack going out with a cinema-hating bubblehead).

Ah, the dogs. Lane ends up with her brother's adorable Newfie Dog, a loving gentle giant named "Mother Theresa." Both ladies have some fear issues to deal with.

The best part of the film is the supporting cast. Christopher Plummer is pure genius as Lane's widower Irish father with more dates than her. And Stockard Channing is one of those dates, a preternaturally wise trailer-trash-type who is almost dead of too much Santa Fe style.

Yes, a nice romantic little film and better than most in a somewhat tired-out genre.

I agree 300% with spotlight reviewer, Michael Acuna. And I will add that this is neither the best nor the worst film you have ever seen. A classic, though slow, chick flick, MUST LOVE DOGS is comforting to watch for one reason: the indescribable charm of Diane Lane.

Another version of the 'You Have Mail' Internet-dating movie, MUST LOVE DOGS is predictable in terms of plot. But that hardly matters. The point in watching this film is to indulge in a sweet cast of familiar faces including John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Swoosie Kurtz and of course, Diane Lane.

A divorced 40-something with all the confidence, wisdom and wrinkles that come with age, Lane is Sarah, a pre-school teacher, reluctantly tossed back into the dating pool by her sister, played by Perkins.

Though she is far more beautiful than your average 40-something, here Lane succeeds in conveying the every-woman qualities that will appeal to ladies of all ages. Vulnerable, strong, gorgeous, nervous, hopeful and suspicious, Lane's Sarah is the kind of woman every girl can relate to and every real man would love.

-- Regina McMenamin

I really wasn't all that interested in seeing this movie because it seemed like something a middle-aged woman would watch with a box of Oreos (no offense). But, in that respect, I really think they short-changed the film in the advertising.

Anyway, Sarah is newly divorced and her overly-involved family is pressuring her to get back into the dating scene. Coming out of a marriage where she was "content" but not "happy," she's a little hesitant to get back into the dating scene.

Jake, her love interest, is also just coming out of a divorce (usually a recipe for disaster). The hero wants the whole enchilada, the love of his life, the ONE.

Sarah meets Jake through an online dating site and their first date is pretty much a disaster because he comes on too strong--not sexually, it's just that he has this strong, vibrant personality that's a little disconcerting for Sarah.

Meanwhile, Sarah's also sort of dating the father of one of her pre-school students who's ex-wife describes him as "an incorrigible flirt."

Yet, Sarah dates him anyway, much to her regret, eventually.

There's also a sub-plot involving her father and his search for companionship after the death of his wife, the "love of his life."

All in all, this film has an underlying sense of loves that are "meant to be," and that's really the only thing that I found eyebrow raising.

It's not so much the chemistry between Jake and Sarah that makes this a great film, but it's kind of an inspiring take on life after divorce.

There's a sense of coincidence (i.e., her student's father living next door to her father's new love interest; her father, unknowingly, has a conversation with Jake on a street corner, etc. and so forth). The witty, heartfelt dialogue is charming and the feel-good aspect kind of reminds me of "Love Actually," in the sense that both films give a realistic view of the ugly side of love, but also give hope for finding it again.

There's nothing wrong with 'Must Love Dogs.' It has two exceptionally likable characters in center played by Diane Lane and John CUsack, is supported by solid acting from Elizabeth Perkins and Durmot Mulroney, plus veterans Christopher Plummer and Stockard Channing, and also features two cute dogs. The only problem is that what you see in this film, you have already seen in other romantic comedies that have been made these last twenty years.

Sarah (Lane) is a kindergarten teacher, recently divorced (for 8 months), who is afraid of dating. She meets two possible boyfriends -- Bob (Mulroney) daddy of her kids, a handsome, slightly caddish but not a bad guy, and Jake (Cusack) a boat-builder, avid fan of old films like Doctor Zhivago, who also recently parted from his love. Sounds familiar, isn't it?

But of course there are some differences. Sarah meets Jake through the internet site. And you can see lovely Lane in 'CATS'-like Holloween costume. And ... did I tell you about wonderful Christopher Plummer, who reads a poem very beautifully? That much I can tell you.

In spite of many things recycled from the past films, the two leads Lane and Cusack are quite good. They have played similar roles in the past, but that doesn't mean that 'Must Love Dogs' is waste of your time. Still, we know that there must be a better story out there for them, and that they are also aware of that fact.

Pleasant, feel-good romantic comedy, 'Must Love Dogs' is like an extended episode of TV sitcom. It goes where we know it goes, and avoids risky steps during its 100 minutes. That's not a bad thing, I know, but if you use Diane Lane and John Cusack, maybe you should do better than that.

I recently enjoyed this simple, light and airy confection knowing that I would buy it as soon as it was available on DVD. I loved the family relationships as well as the love story....sans the blatent sex and violence that are a must in most modern films. This movie is for mature audiences understanding that even "pretty" people can have self-doubts and want to be loved. When I leave a movie theatre with a smile on my face and laughter in my heart I know it's a keeper.

Must Love Dogs was written and directed by Gary David Goldberg. What does this mean exactly? Well, Goldberg has spent his career writing and directing sitcoms. From creating Family Ties, to Spin City, from writing for MASH to Battery Park, Goldberg only has a handful of actual movies under his belt. The truth is that sitcoms and movies are two entirely separate beasts. A sitcom is about 20 minutes in length and is there to elicit candy corn laughs that are helped along by a laugh track to tell you when to laugh. A movie does not have the benefit of a laugh track and is considerably longer than sitcoms, meaning that the hour and a half of sitcom laughs probably won't cut it.

I don't mean to be down on sitcoms, in fact I like them. But there is a difference between the dialogue and humor of a sitcom and the dialogue and humor in a movie. From the first scene and before I knew who directed and wrote Must Love Dogs, I felt like I was watching a sitcom where sarcastic characters sit around and make barbs at one another. True, I chuckled at some of the lines, but realistic or even reelistic it wasn't. At times, it felt like the scenes were mostly there for a witty repartee with each other. Particularly John Cusack's friend who is a complete stock character and offers up such witty sayings as "Hey....hey....hey!"

And then there's Diane Lane's friends and family who flit in and out of the picture, either to add unhelpful advice or date options or to try and flesh out the story a bit. But they don't add much, even when in scene. By far the more interesting character was Stockard Channing's Dolly, a woman who uses the online dating services to try out different personalities and attract different guys. There's even an awkward scene involving a 15 year old who meets up with Dolly (who's like 61 in the movie). The scene doesn't work right and comes across more weird and stilted than funny.

Diane Lane is lovely and John Cusack is always a favorite of mine, but even they aren't enough to keep this movie going. The lines just don't sound right coming out of their mouths. Granted, they do a better job than most of their costars but it still doesn't feel right. With a better script, this movie would be more enjoyable.

All of the romantic comedy conventions are in tact. You have Diane Lane's love triangle with John Cusack and Dermot Mulroney, one of who is perfect for her, the other not so much. There's the misunderstanding and the eventual realization. All standard, romantic comedy stuff. In the right hands, it works. In the wrong hands it doesn't. In my opinion, this movie does not work as well as some of the others I've seen. It's more intent to be an hour and a half sitcom than a movie. And we all know those sitcoms that try and stretch the humor from 30 minutes to an hour generally don't succeed. My recommendation is to miss this one.

Diane Lane plays a divorced woman whose family decides for her that she needs to begin dating again. They first try to fix her up with people they know. Then, without her knowledge, her sister creates a profile for her on an internet dating site.

John Cusack is also recently divorced with his own friend who is pushing him to date again, and he answers Lane's ad on Cusack's behalf. The first meeting doesn't go well, but they keep trying. Dermot Mulruney plays another suitor for Lane and complicates the romance between Cusack and Lane.

Must Love Dogs is an enjoyable romantic comedy. There are some very funny scenes and Lane and Cusack are excellent at creating characters to care about. The ending seemed a little rushed and some of the scenes with Lane's intrusive family were forced. There is a feeling that the script wasn't really finished before they started filming, but the excellent cast (including Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Plummer, Stockard Channing) makes it enjoyable to watch

This is a cute movie. A good feel-good picture. First of all, you have to suspend reasoning, because in real life people who look like John Cusack and Diane Lane would never have trouble finding dates. All they would have to do is snap their fingers at cocktail parties. That being said, you will enjoy this for its pure entertainment value. The acting, by the way is very good. The two main characters, and throw in Stockard Channing and the great Christopher Plummer, you have people who know what they are doing on the acting set.

I would love to see John Cusack in tougher roles, in more ambitious movies. He is that good I think. How about a role in a great biography about a great priest, poet, painter or musician. Just a thought. Cusack has such a screen presence.