Best romcom since "When Harry Met Sally."

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2011)

Children, once upon a time the romantic comedy was a legitimate movie subgenre. Then along came people like Matthew Mcconaughey (don?t care if that is misspelled) and Jennifer Lopez among many others who began to pump out unfunny and unromantic films which all seem to not only have the same plot but basically the same characters (all of whom have well-defined abdominal muscles). Now children, these weren?t bad people ? even good actors like John Cusack fell for the temptation of making a coupla? bucks off the 18-54, white, female, movie-going demographic. Ah, but children, there is hope in the form of video-director Marc Webb who has created a romcom with real (fake) emotion, actual laugh-out-loud moments and an intriguing plot which defies the traditional conventions of the subgenre yet still delivers a satisfying ending. The film is cast with a focus on brains over abs so that when Tom falls in love with and later can?t get over Summer we actually understand why and feel what he feels. The nonlinear narrative structure (don?t panic children, you?ll get it) keeps the audience going alert and thinking and the soundtrack carries the film when necessary but doesn?t intrude when not (listen for Simon & Garfunkel?s genius ?Bookends? ). In short, rush out and rent this beguiling work so we get more like it.