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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reply to Internet Dating Ad/Thoroughly Enjoyable Film, August 1, 2005
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)
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must love.....LOVE!, January 21, 2006
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!
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
surprisingly good but still simple stuff, of course, August 17, 2005
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.
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