Not So Heavy Thinking in My Fort

Rating: 5/10 (1 January 2008)

Greetings again from the darkness. Richard LaGravenese is a very talented writer and director. His credits include "Freedom Writers" (also with Hilary Swank), "Paris, je t'aime", and the documentary "A Decade Under the Influence" (about the impact of 70's films). He also wrote the terrific story for "The Fisher King" (wrongly forgotten). Here he takes on Cecilia Ahern's novel and his first real chick flick.
The premise for this one is very intriguing and with Gerard Butler (so great in "300") in a leading role, my expectations were pretty high. The good news is that Butler delivers the goods. He is remarkably charming and likable and proves to have a flair for quick wit and a boyish smile. Two other male actors deserve mention. Harry Connick, jr delivers his best performance since "Little Man Tate". Connick is usually so pompous on screen that he has become somewhat of a caricature. In the film, he is mildly afflicted with say-what-you're-thinking-aloud syndrome and has some of the best scenes in the film. Also, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (slow dying Denny from "Grey's Anatomy") is pretty believable as Butler's oh-so-charming best friend and replacement.
The bad news: for this film to work, we need to understand Butler's adoration of Hilary Swank. Maybe the best way for me to describe this is to say that Lisa Kudrow is not the most annoying woman in this film ... Hilary Swank is. Why did this great guy stick for 9 years with this ungrateful, narcissistic, loud, hateful, demeaning woman? Swank's character needed to be somewhat likable, not just aware that she loved him AFTER he's dead. The "true love bond" was just not on display, so it just doesn't work.
I score the film so high (6) only in deference to director LaGravenese, Mr. Butler, music from the Pogues and a chick flick premise that could and should have delivered. At least it offered my mind the opportunity to re-write scenes and recast the lead with someone who I wouldn't hope would get tossed off the roof.