Cynical slush

Rating: 1/10 (29 May 1999)

Why? Because this was sheer stale US packaging and nothing else. Not only the ending was predictable (which is allowed in a romance) but every twist and turn. Yawningly too long. Lots of plain 'gags' that were the product of neither character nor plot (man who tries to buy novels, interviews with her co-stars in the hotel). Trite humour (grungy, eclectic flatmate; big feet/shoes). No insight, no questions, no credibility (why did she kiss him?) Huge plot holes - where did the fantastic Mr Ifans go during most of her stay? Why did he take the call from his mother? And yet another group of charming chums who are all SO supportive with not a twang of angst in sight despite disability/redundancy/business failure. By the second hour I was urging Hugh to hurry every one of those oh, so, faltering, foppish syllables. The plot was an obstacle course of devices which served only to titillate (goggles/guinea fowl/her from accounts and so many others). But what angers me most is that Curtis IS capable of producing delightful, fresh beguiling stuff but this was clearly straight from the pocket(book).