Surprisingly Good

Rating: 7/10 (7 December 2004)

When I saw previews for this film, as a man, I thought that it would not appeal to me. It was really by chance -- seeing it on while a former roommate was watching it, sitting down, expecting to leave within the next five minutes, but I ended up watching the entire thing, becoming completely incapable of pulling myself away from it. In fact, I would later feel compelled to drag somebody along with me to see the sequel that came out in the Fall of 2004 on opening night. It became very obvious that I was greatly mistaken.
In an age where 'war' films like Pearl Harbor contain sappy romance stories, this was very bizarre seeing something that was a Romantic Comedy that was more of a comedy than a sappy, cliché Romance that makes the more sound of mind wish to vomit. I find that opposed to other romantic comedies, this one really embodies a sense of a realist's look at life, and as opposed to focusing on sexy women trying to get sexy men with horrible, predictable jokes being thrown in on occasion, this is far more refreshing. Great performances by everybody involved, and a very refreshing story overall.
It breaks all the stereotypes of modern comedy, lacking any crudeness or immature antics, and it breaks all the stereotypes of Romance, giving an honest portrayal of a relationship and the attitudes of normal people, often poking fun at itself. As far as major motion pictures go, this one is a tremendous surprise as far as entertainment & content go. It is the kind of film that anybody can appreciate.
If I were to make a list of films that pleasantly surprised me, this would probably be at the very top. A tremendous production.