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Reviews
The Idea of You (2024)
Surprised - in a good way
I didn't really know what to expect, but like both of the leads so thought I'd give this a go.
I really really enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried and my heart ached. From the awkwardness early on, to a love that became real, we were carried along in this story. To those saying "How is this story in any way feminist?", I believe 100% that were this story playing out in front of us, we would see EXACTLY the poison and hatred directed at Solene for daring to love and be loved by a younger man, and it's so so wrong. You or I may not choose a relationship like this, but those who do - all power to them. Nobody bats an eye where the roles are reversed (George and Amal Clooney, anyone?)
I found Nicholas Galitzine's performance as a boy band star completely believable (when so often, actors playing musicians of any kind aren't), and Anne Hathaway's lingering hurt and betrayal over her ex-husband's behaviour was pitch-perfect.
This was not really a rom-com in my view - it took us to too much sadness for that generally fluffy and light label to apply, and perhaps was just a touch too scarily real in its nastiness. But it was definitely a thoughtful and moving love story. Have the tissues ready!
Would or could this relationship stay the distance? Who knows but real love that stands the test of time apart has at least a shot, and these guys had me rooting for them all the way.
Irish Wish (2024)
The 2 star rating was generous
Am I the only adult who is tired of being patronised with the so-called romantic comedies being dished up to us so often by the various streaming services? Some of the most beloved movies of the last 30 years have been romantic comedies, they don't have to be fluffy, badly executed, and generally, drivel.
However, I turned this one off 20 minutes in. Why? Probably the biggest issue for me is that Lindsey Lohan just does not persuade as a young singleton, out on the town with her friends as she is in the first scene, and then wishing for her true love. To get away with convincingly playing that slightly ditzy, giddy role, you need to be or at least look 25 or younger. Older than that and all I can think is "Really? This person is still that immature and stupid?"
I wondered whether this script was modelled on the Irish Romcom starring Matthew Goode and Amy Adams. If so, it was a miscalculation; Lohan is a completely different person and should not try to play this part. Ed Speelers tried his best as the romantic hero but the imbalance between the two of them was too marked.
I (like most people) am well aware of LL's past issues, and wish her only good things as she appears to be winning the battle with her demons. But weak, formulaic scripts like this one aren't the answer. Try writing yourself a more real, believable character Lindsay - you might be surprised how people react.
Famous romcoms like "The Proposal" succeed not only because of their star leads (although Ryan Reynolds wasn't really the A-lister when he made it that he's now become). They succeed because the characters are nuanced; not one of them is wholly good or wholly bad. And they may make mistakes and errors in judgement but they're not cringingly stupid. Why? Because nobody wants to watch that.
It's still possible to find good rom coms - even on Netflix and Neon ("Love at First Sight" was refreshing) but not when the producers take cheap shortcuts and patronise their audience. Netflix, you can do better, and so can you Lindsay Lohan!
The Boys in the Boat (2023)
Loved it
In the age of Marvel and the Fast and the Furious, a movie which tells a story but takes the time to explore the characters' back stories and challenges will be seen as slow or even boring by some. But I greatly enjoyed the slower pace of this movie, which had a slight "Chariots of Fire" feeling about it in its settings and portrayal of characters of a particular generation.
I understand that the movie stuck pretty closely to fact, despite the almost unbelievable challenges put in the way of the Washington crew - everything depicted actually happened. And those provided plenty of drama, albeit with no explosions, car chases or time travel.
Minor gripes? Yes, a few of a minor variety; why did coach's wife have full makeup on in bed in the middle of the night? And could we please have a climactic scene where we (the audience) can be left to experience our own emotions without swelling french horns telling us what those emotions should be?
But these are absolutely minor; overall I really loved this movie, and wish there were more like it!
Redeeming Love (2022)
A simple story told movingly
This is in some ways a very simple story, and yes, the bad guys are bad and the good guys good for the most part (it's all fairly black and white). But Michael (Tom Lewis) is somehow completely convincing as the almost naive young man who has faith that the power of love can transform bitter, cynical and jaded - but nonetheless beautiful - young prostitute Angel.
Angel's story is told harrowingly but drives home the message of how completely powerless women were until around 100 years ago, and how dependent they were on the men around them (good and bad), before the era of a welfare system or benefits.
It's a testament to the writing, acting and directing that this is not just another 2-dimensional Hallmark-style movie, but I did become engrossed and invested, and the character development, along with the various relationships, was believable and well drawn.
Definitely not for kids, more because of the harshness of the story than anything else, but I really enjoyed "Redeeming Love".
Anyone But You (2023)
A fun watch
Anyone using the word formulaic or light, fluffy etc is totally missing the point. This is meant to be fun, light, yes and fluffy, and it is all of those things. I laughed out loud many times, and I did think the two leads had pretty good chemistry. Everything doesn't have to be deep or dark to be worthwhile, and while "Anyone But You" won't be winning any awards (I don't imagine!), it WAS enjoyable, and I left with a smile on my face.
The references to "Much Ado about Nothing" were cleverly done, and I thought the rest of the cast were also well drawn - people who we have all met, especially if (like me) you live "Downunder"!
Go to this movie expecting a light, fun romp and you won't be disappointed.
What's Love Got to Do with It? (2022)
Not a Rom-Com at all
Okay, so we have all seen Lily James in a vast number of light and fluffy lead roles, and of course can be forgiven for expecting the same again here. But no.
In my book, this movie is far more a modern drama than a rom-com. Portraying very real conflict, and a modern young woman trying to find her way in today's society, along with a young man who pulls no punches in his description of what it is to be Muslim, even one who is British-born and a doctor.
I laughed, I cried - quite a lot - and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. But if you're wanting a light and mindless romance, this probably isn't what you should be watching.
Love Again (2023)
I so wanted to enjoy this!
I'm a sucker for a nice love story, doesn't need to be particularly highbrow or dramatic, but does need to be well done. Unfortunately, the writing on this was just so bad, it ended anything else positive. I really like both of the leads, but the story didn't sit well for either of them, and they were both too old for the parts they were supposed to be playing.
Maybe Sam Heughan is just too much engraved in our hearts as Jamie Fraser, who most "Outlander" fans agree he is the perfect casting for - but I just couldn't swallow him as a bumbling journalist making so many rookie mistakes in pursuing the girl of his dreams.
But as always, the main issue was just poor writing.
I can't believe it - I paid to watch this movie, but I couldn't finish it.
Ghosted (2023)
Proof that it takes more than a hot lineup to make a movie worth watching
Take 3 top line actors (one of whom has an Oscar to his name!), throw in a bunch of great cameos from more A-listers, some cool action sequences - has to make for at least a fun movie, right?
Well ... no. Sadly. This movie feels like it was concocted in a lab from someone's idea of a winning formula, but actually beyond a few laughs (mainly when the various cameos turned up) there isn't a lot to like about "Ghosted".
Characters: Chris Evans' "Cole" can't bring himself to point a gun at a person early on, but only a couple days later is wielding a shotgun with casual ease, mowing down baddies with aplomb. Ana de Armas' "Sadie" (quite justifiably IMO) is massively turned off by Cole's stalkerish actions, but one schmaltzy speech is enough to persuade this supposedly hard-boiled CIA agent that she's been doing life all wrong, and that clingy, needy Cole is exactly what she needs? Yeah, right!
None of the characters makes sense, most of them aren't particularly likeable, and their arcs are just not believable. Likewise the plot development is so loose and full of holes that if it were a net you'd have trouble catching a stingray in it.
Disney, listen up! Yes, we do want fun action romance, but not done "by the numbers"! Do better - get decent writers, come up with characters that we might actually care about and a plot that's at least vaguely plausible, and 9 times out of 10, we'll like it.
This effort however, is just insulting.
Shotgun Wedding (2022)
Massive Disappointment
I loved "Marry Me" and I've enjoyed a lot of Josh Duhamel's movies too, so looked forward to this.
20 minutes in I gave up.
It might be your idea of funny, but the gags were unoriginal and made every single character look ridiculous (I think it's a fairly well accepted premise that for every funny man/woman you need a foil, a "Straight Man".
Overall I thought it was just stupid, with bad writing, stereotypical 2-dimensional characters and nothing to pull me in as a viewer and make me feel that this was anything I was interested in flowing to a conclusion.
Could have/should have been so much better.
The Noel Diary (2022)
A Decent Cut Above
... the standard Christmas romance. The story had some depth and inspired real feeling and empathy for the two leads, each of whom was trying in their own way to resolve past traumas.
The cast were uniformly strong, and the leads had a believable chemistry. Both were likeable but imperfect (again, unusual in this genre but a welcome change!) Particularly enjoyed Bonnie Bedellia's turn as the romantically-inclined neighbour.
This movie managed to draw me in and make me care what happened to its characters - a sure sign of competent writing and acting.
Please Netflix - more like this! Real life has its challenges, as do real people, but they're so much more interesting than the standard Christmas movie versions we get served up.
Persuasion (2022)
I really WANTED to like this movie ...
My dissatisfactions seem to be different from those of many other viewers. I didn't greatly mind that the dialogue was updated from Austen's original - although if you're going to do that, why still set it in 19th century costumes etc? I also don't hugely object per se to the script having taken liberties with aspects of the story; adaptations from book to screen do that all the time. Although, the liberties they took, again, didn't really make a lot of sense.
My underlying objection is that the changes made were not for the better portrayal onscreen of the story; rather, after all the reimaginings, it was no longer the substance of "Persuasion " at all.
At the very centre of this story is the sense of regret, of lost opportunities, and the sadness of being confronted by the cost of your youthful mistakes. There was virtually no sense of any of that in this version of the story. Anne (Dakota Johnson) is not only still extremely attractive, but is intelligent, witty (in private, at least) and, notwithstanding her objectionable relatives, surrounded by loving friends who appreciate and support her. There is also little doubt from very soon after they run into one another again, that Frederick Wentworth still has a high regard for her.
Wentworth himself is not remotely convincing as a sea captain, and looks more like a poet or an artist. Where the story calls for him in the first instance to be remote towards Anne, even disapproving, only later to thaw as he realises that she is after all worthy of his love ... almost none of that conflict was in evidence.
In summary, the problem with this movie lies not in what it is - a light hearted, period romance - but rather in what it is not - I.e. Any kind of accurate representation of the beautiful, bittersweet and slightly tortured story that is "Persuasion".
The Kissing Booth (2018)
A little more than the usual teen drama
So I watched this movie one night when I was tired and wanted something light and fluffy to pass the time. And OK, Oscar-level drama it may not be, but it offered a lot more than I expected. First of all, at its core is a rock solid friendship between a girl and a boy .. which (first surprise) remains a rock solid friendship, admittedly with some tests along the way, but still - there's the first common teen movie trope out the window.
Second, neither of the central romantic leads ends up compromising the path they're on in the name of lurve... again, refreshing.
There were some of the usual stereotypes - predictable but on the other hand, that's possibly because those types DO exist in every high school that ever was.
But there were moments of genuine depth of emotion in this movie, and the conflicts were well written and portrayed.
Overall ... much better than I expected, a solid watch.
The Adam Project (2022)
A comedic science fiction drama?
I ask the question because this movie has elements of all 3; definitely some laugh out loud moments, lots of nerdy time-travel stuff, and quite a few times when I had tears in my eyes. Bonus: the ending didn't take the Disney way out.
Really enjoyed it overall.
The Saint (2017)
Decent Cast, Pretty Ordinary Script
It's not awful, but this movie proves once again, writing is all. I'm sure this franchise has some legs in it yet, and heaven knows, a decent hero is always fun to watch. But the two-dimensional characters, the cliches, the obvious "twists" (which you could see coming a mile off), and the somewhat unbelievable "aging" of various characters all contributed to a less than satisfactory result.
If only moviemakers could learn the very simple lesson: you don't have to spend a lot of money on production, CGI or even A list actors; just get the groundwork right. Like they unfortunately didn't here.
The Replacements (2000)
Not deep, but very entertaining - really enjoyable
I should add a sub-clause: "if you're a sports fan". If you're not, this won't be your cup of tea.
Otherwise, we have Gene Hackman being ... well, Gene Hackman - the grizzled coach who's seen enough in his career to know that a star team will beat a team of stars most times. And that's what this movie is mostly about. When the stars of the (fictional) Washington Sentinels go on strike, Coach McGinty (Hackman) is tasked with putting together a makeshift team that will be able to win the 3 games needed to get them to the playoffs. Leading the team as quarterback is Shane Falco (a buff Keane Reeves, totally believable as a pro athlete) with a motley crew behind him, who he must somehow pull together as a team. Naturally, mayhem ensues.
Cheering from the sidelines is part-time bar-owner and head-cheerleader Annabelle, who tells Shane she doesn't date players, and especially not quarterbacks, because they're the biggest babies of all.
This movie is nice to look at, has some laugh-out-loud moments, and ok, maybe the message is writ large and clear, but it's still pretty uplifting for all that. Perhaps, to lift Coach McGinty's line, what I like about it is that it has heart.
Christmas in the Wild (2019)
Not a Christmas movie but a better than average watch
The grinches will say this is cheesy, predictable, Hallmark-y ... but I found it charming, and refreshing - the latter because the two leads are both north of 50 (rather than youthful, trim 'n toned) and the love story here is not only about a man and a woman, but a woman rediscovering herself, and along the way learning about amazing creatures in the wild.
Africa and its fauna are at the centre of this movie and only the most cynical would be unmoved by the animals of the movie's sanctuary. The relationship that grows between Kate and Derek is also definitely relatable - very much a slow burn over time as these two get to know each other over a space of months. (The fact that a celebration of Christmas occurs during the movie is not really central to the story in any way).
This movie won't garner any award nominations or feature on any "Top 100 Movies of 2020" list (other than possibly my own!) but I felt better and happier after watching it. Which is kind of what we define as "entertainment" I think? Highly recommended.
Marry Me (2022)
Predictable doesn't mean bad!
Those comparing this to a Hallmark movie are missing the point; yes, it's a love story and yes, there is an HEA ending, but it's done with class, charm, and humour. JLo is stunning (a female rock star "on the wrong side of 35" and the butt of jokes as a result of failed marriages) and Owen Wilson unexpectedly charming (and completely believable as the cardigan-wearing math teacher, trying hard to stay grounded), and their onscreen relationship is relatable - once you get past how it begins. There's also a deft hand in the writing and casting of the secondary leads: Colin the manager and Parker the school counselor both had laugh-out-loud moments.
As a bonus, the music and dancing was great too.
Overall, Marry Me is extremely watchable and a great panacea for the doom and gloom that surrounds us in the face of a global pandemic and looming war in the former USSR.
There are many of us who love romance when it's done well - not the cookie-cutter Hallmark version, but think Notting Hill, When Harry Met Sally, Love Actually, Pride and Prejudice, and most recently, Bridgerton. There's a reason these are oft quoted and still watched, decades after their release - bring it on.
Step Sisters (2018)
Not an auspicious beginning but glad I hung in
So, it was a struggle to get through the first 15 minutes of this movie, because fundamentally most of the characters were initially pretty objectionable. However, they did dial that back significantly as the story progressed, and in the end this was an entertaining and at times insightful movie about crossing boundaries, understanding all the different issues people around us are dealing with all the time, and the importance of honesty. And the dancing was pretty fantastic. Not Oscar material but better than average for its genre and worth a watch - after the first 15 minutes.
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
Enjoyable and relateable
Perhaps it's that I'm not American, but the awkwardness of Lucy, the desperate UN-coolness and Bridget Jones-ish pratfalls, all just felt a whole lot more real to me than so many other rom coms. In contrast to the many other reviews that find a lack of chemistry between the two leads, I thought they played it perfectly for the whole point of the story, that the best lover is someone who you get to know and who has your back, who truly IS your friend before all else. I also loved the crazy friends. Not a laugh-out-loud but definitely many smiles and a warm fuzzy kind of movie, worth a watch.
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
It didn't HAVE to be awful
I get it - it's a Hallmark Xmas movie - yes, it's going to be predictable, potentially even cheesy - all acceptable for the genre. But why does that mean it has to be badly done? That the writing must be execrable? That it can't at least be professionally executed? Romantic and predictable doesn't HAVE to equal poor quality - "Bridgerton", anyone? When will the powers that be in TV land recognise that there IS a big market for happily-ever-after, but that doesn't mean we want to see bad acting, bad writing and overall, something which is just unnecessarily shoddy?! If you make it well, (to paraphrase) we will watch in huge numbers. If you do it on the cheap (like this) you'll get - well, what you paid for. And the poor reviews that go with it.
The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021)
A simple story, beautifully done
This movie proves the age old point that a story doesn't have to be new or unique to be moving, and very watchable (albeit possibly more for a female than male audience, unsurprisingly given that it's based on a novel by Jojo Moyes).
The cast are all perfect in their roles, and I genuinely shed a tear at several points, which is unusual!
I really loved it.
Finding You (2020)
Pleasant but could have been so much more
First up, this was a nice watch. Nice story, nice cast, just ... nice. The only stunning thing was the Irish scenery. Oh, and Vanessa Redgrave's performance, which was, as expected, excellent. Young heroine Finley, an aspiring violinist, retraces her tragically killed brother's footsteps to spend a semester in Ireland. First challenge: If you're going to Centre a movie around a violinist, call me a musical nerd if you like, but it would be great if she looked as though she could play the violin to some relatively high level. Moving on, en route to Ireland, Finley and meets Beckett, a hot young movie heartthrob. Second challenge: the actor playing Beckett did not fit this description. Charming, pleasant, attractive, yes, but hot movie heartthrob - definitely not. Adding to the challenge, simple physical appearance: beside the heroine, he looked like her younger, shorter brother. Not a criticism of this young actor, but definitely made it harder to buy that particular story line.
Once our pair reaches Ireland, things pick up somewhat, as we meet Finley's host family including the daughter of the house, who has a decent go at stealing every scene she is in. Finley is assigned to befriend an elderly local, played by Vanessa Redgrave, and to give credit where it's due, this story was not the very predictable one I anticipated. Redgrave is fantastic, as usual, and her story was probably the only part of the movie which aroused genuine emotion in me.
Part of the Finley and Beckett story was the search for a Celtic cross which Finley's late brother had drawn in a scrapbook, subtitled with her name. Seemed a bit creepy to me, but there you are. This whole subplot was very much glossed over, despite Finley saying early on that she was motivated to come to Ireland by her brother. Other loose ends left unexplained and unresolved were Beckett's two supposedly key relationships, with his father/agent and his co-star.
There WAS a story here, and with a little less fluff and a little more craft of the script and slightly different casting, this could have been a very much better movie.
But as it is - Nice.
Muriel's Wedding (1994)
An interesting social commentary but nowhere near a Comedy
Sure, this clever movie has some very funny moments and cracking one-liners, but it was far from the "feel-good" uplifting tale it was advertised as. In fact, I found it, in general, to be quite sad. The central character Muriel loses almost everything in her quest to become cool and gain social acceptance, and her mother is a truly pathetic figure, the archetypal wife who has given all and lost herself in doing so, but is neither appreciated nor valued.
I felt that, even though it was set in Australia and made use of some of that society's particular foibles to tell its story, this movie was overall a cynical exposure of the shallowness of much of western society. It was a movie which was both skilfully made and (I suspect) successfully conveyed the message it intended, but I didn't find it enjoyable and I wouldn't choose to watch it again.
Faith, Hope & Love (2019)
The Warning Signs Were All There ...
I confess that when I saw that the male star of the movie was also its producer and director, the question did run through my mind "What, he couldn't get ANYONE to make this movie?", but then I told myself not to judge without seeing first. Then the introductory voiceover got evangelical, and again I wondered.
I lasted 25 minutes.
Hard to identify any single thing that made this movie unwatchable for me; most of all I think the writing was just SO awful, with cliche after cliche and dialogue that was just completely unreal (not in a good way). Also the characters were cardboard cutouts with no depth or believability.
As is so often the case, the movie's basic idea could have been entertaining with a halfway decent script and characterisation. But even as someone who doesn't mind a bit of "cheesy" or "predictable " this was many steps too far.
Robin Hood (2018)
Damn - how could they miss the boat so badly?!
I really wanted to love this movie: Taron Egerton has real charm and Jamie Foxx is no slouch, plus it's a tale that always seems to have life in it, and some fairly clear cut lines between the good guys and the bad.
So how could it not work?
Firstly, it looks all wrong, more like Hunger Games than medieval England. The mix of styles, which I can only assume is meant to be edgy, just jars and detracts from the narrative. This is especially true of the scene of the big party for the Cardinal - suddenly you are in a completely different place and time to the rest of the movie. Say, what?!
I also didn't feel the the casting or writing of Marian was consistent or believable. The script appears to be going for spirited and feisty but again, actually tips into silly. Her "disguise" as she breaks into the Sheriff's office is utterly woeful, and her affection for Will (Scarlett, one assumes), with whom she has taken up in the belief that Robin is dead, is at odds with her revolutionary ideas - and not in a structural conflict way, more of a "Yeah, nah", way.
Add in too many action scenes that go on for too long, and are too repetitive, and it's a bit of a mish mash all round, unfortunately.
Taron Egerton still charms and some of the archery action is impressive, but any time you find yourself fast-forwarding through a movie just to get the gist of how it's resolved, you know it's not really worth the time to watch.
Try again Taron and Jamie - I'm sure the next movie will be better.