Forget the critics

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2000)

I can't believe I almost did not see this movie!
I read a critique in a Sydney newspaper which called the movie pretty lame and unrealistic ("why would a woman stick around with a guy like that in the first place?"). I guess the particular writer must have been deaf and blind. Hey, I am all for equal opportunity - but as a movie critic?

I did finally see it (almost being dragged along by friends) and spent the next 2 hours trying gasping for air because I was laughing so hard. Besides being funny (the description of the high society around Chris aka gorgeous Catharina Zeta-Jones almost saw me on the floor), it is also a very musical movie (as if the title wasn't a dead give-away) but even more so about typical men in our times and their troubles with relationships, love and sex. Men beware, from time to time you will recognize yourself in this piece - and you will not like it!
On the other hand the whole story, the whole movie is centered around John Cusack - he not only acts (fabulously as usual I have to admit), he also directs and writes bits of it. Just my luck that I happen to like him :-) That does not mean that the other actors are mere ornaments - his two side kicks in the record shop are brilliant, as is his (ex) girl-friend, ex being what this movie is about.
She leaves him, and even though he tries to cover it up, tries to play it down, it hurts him more than anything before. At the beginning we ask ourselves with him: what is so special about her? But as the movie progresses and she keeps showing up getting her stuff from their apartment, we learn to appreciate her, and more and more dislike our main character for loosing her. But hey, this is a movie with a couple of twists, and in the end ... but see for yourself. Definitely recommended.