A "Feel Good" movie that makes me feel bad!

Rating: 1/10 (11 December 2004)

I only watched this film because it was the in-flight movie on a long trip to South Africa, and I have a fear of flying. I tried to use it take my mind off the terror. I have never had to use the sick bag on an airliner before, but I very nearly did here, on account of this overwhelmingly schmaltzy, vomit-inducing, more awful than awful, drivel. I don't know what has happened to Richard Curtis. Once upon a time he was one half of the writing team that brought us the brilliant, the very clever and imaginative BlackAdder series. And now he appears only able to produce harmless, clichéd, politically correct humdrum stuff, vaguely funny if you've been hiding in a hole for the last 80 years.
This is the man who has brought us such not-funny turkeys as Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. And now he's gone a step further backwards and written and directed something that is so sentimental, so nice and cuddly that it's downright offensive! It insults it's audience, especially when they are forced to watch it in a metal tube 20,000 feet in the air.
Bill Nighy plays a mature rock star who uses expletives a lot. That's an example of the highly intellectual comedic content. That's funny? Then there's the nonsense. Stuff that has no roots in the real world, no link with an intelligent audience. For instance there's a pre-teen kid, who's supposedly in love. We're supposed to believe in him? We're supposed to care about the deluded little tyke? Then there's a Prime Minister, who's attractive, single, and a really nice guy!! Ahhh, how lovely! Arrgghh, I can't stand it! Open the doors! Let me out!
Get me away from this unbelievable Schmaltz!