It was so sad... but funny... but still sad

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2003)

Wow, where do I start with this film? It is so beautiful, so wonderful, so touching and moving that I nearly wept several times.
I'll skip the formalities. If you haven't seen the film but plan to you already know the plot (or can read about it from almost any other comment posted above or below me). Allow me to instead list the most heart-rending moments:
*Bob on the phone with his wife and her quick-click before he can even say what was clearly a cursory "I love you"
*Charlotte speaking with her "best friend" back in the US who is too busy to hear the breaking of a heart
*Charlotte's look of betrayal the next morning
*The shared moments during karaoke
*Bob's daughter's response when he tries to speak with her
*Charlotte boarding the elevator with hardly a word as Bob heads for his limo
*The conclusion
I hurt every time I saw these characters hurt; perhaps my judgment was impaired by Johannson's beauty. I mean, I heard once that among the saddest sights in the world was a lonely, beautiful girl. The beauty of course transcends simple skin-depth (although Johannson has that in spades), but still, I hated seeing her cry. Of course, the pain I saw in Bob was something I had witnessed firsthand several years ago, and this clearly reached me as well. So I doubt that it had only to do with the loveliness of an actress.
Let it remain at this. The film was visually beautiful, well-written, realistic and had a deep impact on me in spite of the largely alien subject-matter. For this I gave it a perfect '10.'