Product: Someone Like You [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 3.0
3.5 stars, really - cute, but not fabulous
I truly didn't expect to like this film as much as I did - the previews made it look like very bland, formulaic drek. And, while it was formulaic, the performances turned in by Judd and Jackman made it into a rather charming story. There are some amusing little quirks in the style of the film, captions before certain "chapters," little fantasy flashes and whatnot, that I really enjoyed. I also liked the chemistry between Jackman and Judd, which wasn't melt-the-screen hot, but still worked very well.Ashley Judd has turned into a fine actress. One scene crystalized this for me - she is crying on the bed, and Jackman is sitting next to her, trying to comfort her. He says something particularly touching, and Judd completely breaks down into heart-wrenching sobs, and doesn't try to make it look "pretty," doesn't try to cover her angst-twisted face with her hands like so many actresses do - she honestly looks like she has a heart broken into a zillion pieces, and conveys the pain of her character's experience exceptionally well.Hugh Jackman, while drop-dead gorgeous and indeed talented as well, needs to work a bit on his "tender" scenes - he occasionally went a bit over the top with the doe-eyed goofy thing, much like Leonardo DiCaprio did in "Titantic" (but let's not go there, shall we?) Still, I enjoyed his performance overall, and he played a very believable Eddie.The story is entirely predictable, but still fun to watch. A bit of a chick flick, perhaps, but good for anyone who likes romantic comedies.