Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
(4+) Cute and Clever - Two Romances In One Movie, June 26, 2003
After reading the mixed reviews, we were very pleasantly surprised by this movie. Luke Wilson is cast as Alex, a novelist who is unable to fulfill his contract with his publisher (Rob Reiner) due to writer's block. His task suddenly assumes a great deal of urgency when two enforcers pay him a visit and give him a deadline of thirty days to pay off a gambling debt of $100,000 or be killed. Since they torched his computer during their appearance, he decides to dictate the story to Emma, a stenographer played by Kate Hudson. This also allows him to concentrate on the creative task confronting him, although a fair amount of the comedy involves her commentary on his efforts.The novel is a 1924 tale involving Adam Shipley (also played by Luke Wilson), an Andover student who takes a summer job tutoring the children of Polina Delacroix (Sophie Marceau). The situation quickly becomes the classic story of a love triangle , with Polina faced with the dilemma of having chosen to marry for money but meanwhile increasing attracted to Adam. As Adam schemes how to become wealthy, his infatuation for Polina keeps him from recognizing his attraction for the various incarnations of her servant (the character keeps morphing as the story is rewritten), so Kate Hudson becomes the Swede Ylva, then the German Elsa, followed by the Spaniard Eldora before ending up as the American Anna. This is all done in a very clever and lighthearted manner. Meanwhile, the novel's scenes are interspersed with the development of the relationship betwen Alex and Emma during their increasing frantic attempt to meet the Alex's deadline. And not at all surprisingly, their real lives intersect with the plotline of the novel. Emma increasingly wonders if there is a real life Polina? Why is Alex as afraid of commitment as his characters? The cast gives the movie just the right feel, and Rob Reiner does a great job as both producer and director as well as in his small but crucial supporting role. There is enough time for the story to develop, but the various elements of the story aren't stretched out unnecessarily. This is a very clever, quite funny film. The humor is often low key (as in the instance of the law firm and its partners), rather than the slapstick hilarity that occasions raucous laughter. Thus, when not actually laughing we were almost constantly smiling. The key point is that the story and the techniques that are used to tell it work well in my estimation, rather than seeming to be forced into service to tell the story. I truly enjoyed the multiple roles played by Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson and their various romantic entanglements. It was especially fun to see Ms. Hudson alternate between Emma and her serial incarnations as Ylva, Elsa, Eldora, and Anna. And much to my surprise, the ending was a perfect conclusion to both the novel and the film.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written...better than most romantic comedies as of late, March 12, 2004
Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some movies deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what a flick should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with othersSTORY: Guys owes loan sharks money that he lost while gambling. If he writes his second novel in 30 days his publisher will pay him allowing him to pay off loan sharks. He hires a stenographer to write while he dictates his novel. MY FEEDBACK:
I thought this was an underrated movie. The humor in the Italian Job (an action flick?!?) was actually better and had more of it, but the parts that were meant to be humorous were funny. Some of the humor people won't catch unless they are listening and looking closely...nice subtle details inlaid within the movie. This was more of a drama than a comedy which I can see some people not liking it as much since expectations won't be met. The feelings that develop between the two characters seemed a lot more belieable than any other romantic comedy I can think of over the last year or two. For those that are writers, they will get an extra enjoyment out of the movie that many viewers might miss or not appreciate. OVERALL:
It was a very well written flick with sproadic bits of humor and a lot more commentary on people who are challenged in relationships. Even if you aren't a writer this is worth watching at least once.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's quiet - TOO quiet. - but great!, July 25, 2004
I liked this movie. I liked the low-key tempo, I liked the easy familiarity of both the actors and their characters, and I liked how their relationship in real life was reflected by the characters in the book. I especially liked that both actors, and their characters were so likable that it was like sitting down for an hour-and-a-half with some old friends and just relaxing.
This was never meant to be An Officer and a Gentleman or Casablanca. This wasn't a story about histrionics and/or sparks flying. This was meant to be, and is, a story about two people with flaws, who find them to be complimentary. You can see it in the way they immediately fall into an old relationship pattern of taking shots at one another, criticising each other, but not taking it too seriously, rather passing it off as just them being them. You also see it in the way they continue to write or talk to each other as they use the toilet, eat, etc.
The changing relationship can be most clearly seen (from Alex's viewpoint) in the changing of the characters Kate Hudson plays in the book - from the (pain in the a**) au pair Ylva, to the interested confidant Elsa (both deliberately overacted by Kate to indicate Alex's current vision of her), to the absolutely adorable Anna, the love interest. And, of course Emma is very defensive of these characters throughout, thereby revealing her feelings about Adam/Alex. This is validated in the final scene as Alex/Emma interchange with Adam/Anna, personally and in time.
Not every movie has to leave you breathless, crying, hyped - whatever. Some, like this one, are just meant to be enjoyed, and leave you relaxed and feeling good. There's no harm in that - I've spent far more time and money for far less return.
The ultimate message here is that you don't necessarily have to stop chasing your dream, just be sure it's the RIGHT dream.
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