The Ups and Downs of Love

Rating: 9/10 (31 August 2004)

To repeat a theme, I'm not a big fan of Adam Sandler, but I love this movie.
Robbie Hart is a genuinely likable character; he's a person I would like to have as a friend, and he's a performer I would gladly hire to sing at my OWN wedding (Sandler also seems completely comfortable with his character, while even Drew Barrymore sometimes sounds like she's merely reciting written dialogue). Yes, he's a capital-R Romantic, but that seems like a strong qualification for someone who makes his living at other people's weddings. I like the whole idea of a romantic comedy being set behind the scenes of the whole wedding game, and some of the most telling scenes involve Robbie guiding Julia through the preparations with an insider's eye.
Probably the funniest parts of the movie (to me) are those that play to Robbie's broken heart; it's probably the best depiction of the depression of the newly-dumped I've ever seen (in particular, I love the "Kill Me Please" song). Hey, I've been there.
This all being said, however, I think the touch-all-the-landmarks-of-the-mid-'80s approach gets awfully heavy-handed at times. The musical choices, though, were excellent.