Two Romances For The Price Of One.

Rating: 7/10 (13 July 2008)

I picked out the DVD in haste before the video rental store closed. My first choice in rentals firmly in hand, I hastily snagged a backup. Well, the first choice was a dud, but this film was actually quite pleasant. I usually get an insight to the female perspective on romance from female directors like Nancy Meyers, this one did not disappoint.
The plot of this film is covered countless times in these comments, so a rehash here is redundant. My reactions to the film are as follows: The plot got me to thinking about how much reality about Hollywood relationships reached the screen. Does everyone in Hollywood really carry on as in this film? When you think about the plot a bit, it starts to seem incestuous; a Hollywood film about Hollywood. There must be a whole lot of misery concealed behind that over-the-top architecture in Bel Air. Oh well, filming more than half the project in Hollywood reduces the expenses of location shooting significantly.
I enjoyed the Kate Winslett Iris character much better than the Cameron Diaz character Amanda. Iris had only had one real romance in her life, one sided to be sure. Amanda had wandered from man to man, never willing to commit herself wholly and eventually pushing away everyone she was supposed to get close to. No wonder the men found this unsatisfactory and started looking elsewhere for a better relationship. We see this pattern repeated in Amanda's relationship with the Jude Law character Graham.
Shallow Amanda meets drunk hunk Graham at her door late at night and immediately suggests they jump into bed together. From this unfortunate decision, somehow a more rational relationship is forged as Amanda fights off her worst fears and actually allows a man into her heart.
Iris is pleasantly shocked and delighted by her experiences in Los Angeles and dives into the experience with gusto. She is kind and thoughtful to everyone she meets, especially her 90 year old neighbor man. Iris' kindness extends to new acquaintance, the Jack Black character Miles. Iris lends support and comfort to Miles as his romantic relationship to an unfaithful girlfriend dissolves. Of course, you can see immediately that Iris and Miles are destined to fall in love.
Amanda is shocked and delighted to meet the two adorable little daughters of widower Graham. They take an immediate liking to Amanda and set about worming their way into her heart. It is the attraction to these children that gives Amanda the courage to take the terrifying step of actually allowing herself to fall in love.
The film closes with the two couples bonding around a Christmas tree in Graham's living room. Two women who just met are going to become much closer as sisters-in-law. The two girls are gaining a mother and an uncle. How the practical problems of carrying on the respective careers of the parties is left unresolved, but they will find a way.
One thing really bothered me in the film. Amanda is shown driving Iris' car in two scenes. Nowhere on the cottage property is any provision for parking the car. Iris seems to commute to and from work by train and walk home from the train stop in the nearby village. So where does Amanda get the car?
Of course this film is all fluff, but I never cared because all the major players carry it off so well. I watch this film often and I never fail to enjoy this visit to four people I have grown to care about.