As Saccharinely Sappy as Tears Made of Dimetapp

Rating: 5/10 (17 February 2010)

There are days when I wonder why I punish myself by going out for these gushy, romantic films when I know deep inside that I rarely will like them. I blame it on the trailers who keep insisting THIS ONE is different! THIS ONE will be mildly insightful! And while I do find PS better than the other recentish dead-husband film, Catch & Release, the amount of tears being poured out in the theater by actors and audience members alike was enough to give me a headache, and I didn't even shed any.
Now admittedly, I guess I really wasn't in the target of this film, namely, women who like crying a lot because it gives life meaning. I was feeling pretty good about life in general up to the point of watching this film, and had no real need to make public displays of tissue-blowing. If you, however, are one of those fortunate folk, this movie is for you! Put it at the top of your Netflix cache and settle in for a good 2 hours of boohooing!
If you are anything that does not fit into this category, well, you might find the pickings on the slim side. I do like Gerard Butler, but he's not in the film a whole ton. Hilary Swank isn't really my favourite actress, which is compounded by 2 hours of her moping on screen. And yes, I get that grieving is traumatic and ugly and emotionally stunting- so why exactly do I want to watch a film entirely devoted to that one aspect of a person's life? What do I really gain from watching an emotionally stunted person painfully grovel in the grieving process for a year? The knowledge that death happens and life goes on? Pretty sure the audience had grasped the concept before they entered the theatre. So basically I sat through a grueling, uncomfortable film that brought nothing new to the table and rung true to no universal truths other than if your spouse dies, life will go on. Bummer. At least the film had impact: namely leaving me in a funk for a couple hours after it ended.