Painful

Rating: 1/10 (8 December 2017)

I watched this film recently, mainly as my partner absolutely loves it. But I must say it is one of the worst films I have watched, for many reasons. One of the story-lines involves a man (Peter) getting married to his fiancée (Juliet). This guy has a best friend (Mark) who is in love with Juliet. She eventually finds out when she sees the footage of the wedding Mark took which features her. And just her. Instead of being creeped out, she is flattered. Later on there is this romantic scene where he confesses his love (because "It's Christmas"). How is this romantic? On the other hands another story-line features a WOMAN wanting to get it on with her (married) boss. Yet, it seems when a man does it it's romantic. But when it's a woman, then she is treated by the film as just a relationship-ruining, walking, talking vag**a. I'm not saying the secretary was in the right in any way. It's just the double-standard that gets to me here. Plus you have Colin Firth's character falling in love with a Portuguese woman. Despite neither of them being able to communicate because of the language barrier. Yeah, yeah, it's all romantic because they went and then learnt each others languages, but still, by the time they meet up again, both dual-linguistic, so Colin Firth can ask her for marriage, they still haven't actually spoken to each other yet. Then you have Colin. A guy who can't seem to get himself with any lady for some reason. I dunno, you'd think calling a woman you don't know your "Future Wife" would have her throw herself into your arms. He decides he'd have more luck in the US. Turns out he was unbelievably right, it a scene so completely over-the-top ridiculous and just utterly dumb, I was (and am) still convinced it was just Colin having some sleazy dream, because even in a fictional movie, it was just that ridiculous. And I haven't even got to the fat-shaming, the poor writing, the general sexism, the stupid airport scene (where the film went from completely cheesy to vomit inducing), the concept that the woman who worked at that office lost her chance at love because she has to care for her mentally ill brother, Emma Thompson's character telling a guy grieving over the death of his wife to get over it, Emma Thompson & Alan Rickman's story-arc...i could go on.
Overall, I would not recommend this to any one. It manages to be cheesy, boring, sexist, and anger-inducing at the same time.
Avoid