I want to save you some time and money

Rating: 1/10 (17 December 2006)

OK
Previous comments on this film have already said it as well as I can but I really want to save people from wasting time and money and try to persuade them to see something else instead. If you're convinced of this already but you're being dragged along by your girlfriend, stop her, because she'll dislike this movie too.
The movie doesn't even live up to its genre. There is no romance in it - any sexual frisson having been replaced by awkward moments badly acted, and there is no comedy in it - just cringey moments delivered by (you guessed it) more bad acting. I could go on about the script being predictable and tired. Indeed most failed movies go back as far as script or storyline calibre; but not as far as the initial premise which, in this case is okay if not a little familiar to Hollywood punters.
However the main thing you'll find is you don't care for the plight of the characters because they're badly drawn, do unrealistic things and we see neither enough of their back-story or their relationships developing with each other.
I'm a real fan of the cast; top actors such as Law and Winslet, a great comedian in Black and, when well cast, a huge talent in Diaz. I really felt for the actors combined career low-point and hope they will recover.
The movie business seems to be driven by money rather than story-telling and in this the movie will no doubt succeed. But there are many examples of strong RomCom scripts so I don't think we should excuse the producers. Meg Ryan or Hugh Grant is practically a seal of approval and then there's Bridget Jones, Forget Paris, If Lucy Fell to name a few.
I was laughing in the wrong places, cringing at the (assumed) intended jokes, planning my week in my head during most of it and feeling utterly tortured and cheated out of 2 hours of my life afterwards.
Sincerely hoping Meyers doesn't write any more screenplays. Failing that, sincerely hoping no more of Meyers screenplays are made into film. Craig