Wow! I LOVE how this movie depicts women!

Rating: 2/10 (7 February 2006)

Brief review: Man. Richard Curtis has some serious issues.
Extended review: You're kidding me, right? A "romance" movie? I mean, really, just how long would it take you to drop dead from alcohol poisoning after playing the "Drink Whenever a Comment is Made About a Woman's Weight" game? 10 minutes? I also thought that the (insert cute animal) known as the "older man, much younger woman" romance was officially beaten, buried, and reincarnated into an entirely different thing (I think it became a teapot, but I need to check on that)? I also enjoyed how practically all the female characters tore each other down - the character's comment about her "fat" and "ugly" sister is but one example. Whee! Self-loathing is neat!
Please. I don't expect romance movies to be oh-my-gosh!-gushy and fake self-actualizing. However, when a movie purports to be about romance but uses such negative depictions of women to portray "romance," I'm disappointed and more than a bit irritated.
If you want a good romantic movie that won't make you totally vomit due to either "drinking game" alcohol poisoning or, conversely, saccharine overload, try "Amelie", "Chocolat," "The Princess Bride," or (a bit on the groovy-weird side) "Harold and Maude."
Don't believe the hype. Don't let the (touching, actually) intro voice-over fool you. Find something that won't make you feel all icky at the end.