Fun, but misses being Great

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2003)

Interestingly enough, I enjoyed this movie more than my wife did! She is an ardent fan of Colin Firth, with Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, and Hugh Grant only slightly behind. Both of us enjoyed "Four Weddings" immensely, so our expectations were high. This movie fell short of the mark, but it's still worth a look while it's still in the theaters.
The "R" rating is, unfortunately, well deserved. The sad part is that most of the nudity and intentionally simulated sex scenes could easily have been cut without hurting the movie. Indeed, the additional time could have been used to further develop the other story lines that left one hungry for more! There are only a few such scenes -- this is not a porno film, but... Well you'll see.
There are many hilarious moments in this film, blended with other scenes that make it more than just a comedy. As usual, this production company has delivered a film that tells stories that, for the most part, buck the Hollywood tradition of overly shallow and one dimensional stories.
Reasons to see this film: The stars and acting company are fabulous (as you would expect! In addition to the above, Emma Thompson was fabulous as usual as well), some great laughs coupled with thought provoking depth, wonderful story-telling technique (less the process gimmick at the end -- you'll know what I mean). A little subtle magic worked in as well...
Detractors: Perhaps too ambitious re: the number of stories? More magic would have been nice (and you'll know who I mean...).
Surprisingly, this film's fantasy aspects seem to be more from a male perspective rather than neutral or female. Good news -- this isn't a "Chick Flick" (although marketing almost makes it appear to be one). Bad news -- female viewers may find themselves a bit offended and embarrassed from time to time.
Still and all, don't wait for DVD/Video for this one. See it on the big screen first, then you can make the decision to rent or buy later.