Martha - Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence

Plot synopsis:
Fed up with her dead-end job with a Minneapolis car rental agency, Martha quits, cashes her final paycheck, and uses the money to purchase an airline ticket to the least expensive international destination she can find - London. At the airport, she meets Daniel, a successful music label executive, who covertly arranges for her to be upgraded to First Class and seated next to him on the flight. When she sells the ticket to another passenger and Daniel finds his seatmate is an obnoxiously loud woman instead of the girl of his dreams, he moves back to the Economy section and takes the vacant seat next to Martha. Before landing in London, he offers her the use of a deluxe suite in a luxury hotel at his company's expense in exchange for a lunch date the following day.
Through a series of flashbacks and flashforwards, we learn Laurence, a former bridge champion who now teaches the game to wealthy women, went to the airport to pick up Daniel but missed him because the flight landed early. Instead, he literally runs into Martha, who hits him with a luggage cart while searching for the exit. She coerces him into taking her into the city and invites him to the suite for dinner. While she is in the bathroom, a bouquet of flowers from Daniel is delivered to the suite, and when Laurence sees the attached card, he departs without explanation.
The following day, Martha meets struggling actor Frank, who has fled an audition in a panic and has gone to the park to console himself with a half-bottle of whiskey. Having heard about her from Daniel, he realizes who she is and calls Laurence to boast that he is about to make her his conquest. He takes her to a nearby art gallery. Martha slips away and heads for the exit, where she reunites with Laurence, who was looking for the pair. He invites her back to his flat and she accepts.
Torn between loyalty to Daniel and love for Martha, Laurence seeks advice from Pederson, a neighbour he mistakenly believes is a psychiatrist, in the early morning hours. In the interim, Martha awakens and seeing a photograph of the three friends, assumes she has been the target of an elaborate practical joke. To get even, she separately invites each of the men to meet her for breakfast and when all three arrive, bearing floral arrangements of varying size, a brawl ensues. Laurence sees Martha running off in the distance but is unable to catch her. Despondent, he goes to a travel agency to purchase a ticket anywhere he can go for £99, which proves to be Reykjavík. At the airport gate, he is told he is being seated in First Class and when he boards the plane, he finds Martha waiting for him. She reveals she was responsible for the upgrade, a trick she learned from Daniel.

Tags: romantic, flashback

Review:
I saw this film with the title "The Very Thought of You" and think that "Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence" is far more apropos and distinctive, although a bit of a mouthful to casually mention the film to friends.
It is artistically directed and edited, intelligently written, and well acted (except when Monica Potter seemed to sound like Julia Roberts -- I can't imagine why she would want to do that).
Interestingly, Joseph Finnes is also outstanding in one of the films that I believe is among the best of the decade:  "Shakespeare in Love." I find the implausibility of this is irrelevant -- it's an 83-minute movie that sets out to capture a mood, tell a story, and entertain.
I liked Joseph Fiennes in Shakespeare In Love but he's absolutely wonderful here.
I missed the title, but saw "Joesph Fiennes", "Rufus Sewell", and "Ray Winstone" - and decided it was worth a look.Though the beginning was a tad slow (the first five minutes makes you think it's going to be very depressing), this is actually a sweet comedy about love and friendship and the nature of "love at first sight".Joesph Fiennes is heart-stoppingly beautiful, with his lovely puppy-dog eyes put to good use in his character as an overly-sensitive young man wedged between two aggressive friends who are less-than-sensitive.I dislike most "romance" films; yet this one was different, for a reason I can't quite put my finger on.
It tugs at your heart, and for all it's improbable situations (de rigeur in most romantic comedy), it rings true to life.Definitely a good film for watching on a rainy afternoon..
Not only did the film put together such a wonderfully presented cast that went together so realistically, so precise(including the sexy Joseph Fiennes), but it was a fantastic film with an original and laughable plot (which is better than seeing the same story over and over again).
Martha (Monica Potter) is single, sexy and she's so sick of her life she's off to London with the last of her money.Daniel (Tom Hollander) is single, successful and after one look at Martha he thinks he's in love.
Lawrence (Joseph Fiennes) is another of Daniel's friends, and he is always caught between Frank and Daniel as they jostle for supremacy.The casing and script are both strong, and the feel of the movie is nice and original, even with the usual clichés in the romance element.
It's funny, it's romantic and it has sex appeal for both men and ladies, so obviously its worth a watch; if you don't try it, you'll never know.7/10.
And it didn't disapoint me one bit!The plot is basiclly three English friends meet an American girl within three days, at seperate times, and they all fall for her.
And then, despite the ending being pretty predictable, I came to the conclusion that this is definately one of the best Romantic Comedy films I've ever seen.Monica Potter does a great job at Martha, the American girl who's had enough of her life in America so buys the first plane ticket to anywhere for $99, and ends up in London.
There were one liners from Martha that made me laugh so much.Tom Hollander is a great Daniel, the rich and spoilt British guy who's a bit of a ladies man, and just loves to get a rise out of Frank.
Laurence is the romantic and sensitive character, and I can't imagine a better person than Fiennes playing him.Rufus Sewell as Frank steals the show.
If you're not a big fan of Romantic Comedies, this movie is worth watching, just for Sewell.Stars out of 10 : 10.
If you are looking for simplicity with little twists here and there - just enough to make it amusing but not too much to be thought-provoking -then this movie would be a good place to start.It's definitely a low-budget film, you can really tell from the color quality.
Clever, feel-good script - really aims to entertain instead of being profound, although it's probably a good idea to lay off the cheesy, over-used lines like "she's different from any woman I've ever met" and "do you believe that things happenned for a reason?".Good line up of cast.
Tom Hollander and Rufus Sewell really shines as Daniel and Frank, they play off each other beautifully and show a bit of versatility which is nice (both are well known dramatic actors).Joseph Fiennes was okay - Laurence doesn't really provide much.
And how he's occasionally being called "Florence".Monica Potter provides a very Julia Roberts style performance, which isn't saying much of her own quality as an actress.I was watching this movie with a roomate the other day and she said "It's a movie that makes you want to fall in love" - I myself was just looking for a comedy and was getting it just fine from this movie.
So, I tried the unique "watch-able" movie there, the unique romance, the unique that still had some tickets in that competitive world: "Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence".
Monica Potter is a decent actress and what could best be described as goofy in the lead but to make this story of three men instantly captivated by one woman work that woman would have to be entrancing like a young Audrey Hepburn or Margaret Sullavan loaded with gossamer charm which Potter is not and it's a flaw that the movie can't overcome.
I was in full knowledge of it being a self-proclaimed 'British/American romantic comedy with a twist', whatever that means, but I honestly took my seat at the theatre half-expecting to sleep the way through it.Boy was I wrong!?!?This is not a flawless movie, far from it.
On the downside it felt a way bit simple and sometimes dangerously close to becoming a generic movie but it actually did a great job in walking the tightrope.The pacing, it must be said, is brilliant as it does a great job of telling you full four stories and establishing multi-layered relationships between 3 best friends from Britain and a young woman from America with such ease that you feel like you've known them forever.
The acting is spot on, although credit must be given to Rufus Sewell who owns this movie as the unfortunate Frank, whose "like me!
like me!" plea warms my heart every time I see it!The music is great, the lighting is terrific and somehow, over a period of 30 minutes, this movie manages to create and establish a scenario so perfect that every man and woman will emerge from the cinema wishing they were there.
No, it's not the movie to end all movies, nor is it a piece that will change your outlook on life, but for 90 minutes it will make you forget about all your worries and just enjoy yourself: laugh, smile, hold hands, wish you were holding hands, feel loved or love someone or both, and eventually walk out into the real world feeling like you've experienced a piece of bliss that has made your day a good one.Give it a try, it's not big but it might bite you.4/5..
After all, it was labeled a 'romantic comedy' so I was prepared for a light-weight story, and the humour did in fact have meaning with it;
Joseph Fiennes acts unbelievably badly in this movie, it was really painful to watch.
I'm tired of seeing movies that bore me.I'm in the comedy section, I see "The out of towners", "forces of Nature", other crap like that and then I see this film.I know...I know, checl out my other reviews, not my kind of film.
I usually don't go for romantic comedies, but I like Joseph Fiennes, so I did the unthinkable.
And Fiennes, should play this way more often.I feel very priveliged to have seen this great little film.
Which one will she choose?This is a sweet British romantic comedy, told in flashbacks by Laurence, as he confides the tale to a psychiatrist.
Those looking for the best humorous love stories available will find this film does not make the A-list.
One unfortunate aspect of it all is the absolutely terrible title given the film in the US - truly there is no excuse and it belies the mentality in that country.As a romantic comedy - of a sort - it beats anything that ghost town Hollywood be capable of; there are elements here which won't be obvious to you on first viewing and that's to your advantage.Joey Fiennes: he talks like Shakespeare!
The conceit of this film - a girl who has her back to the wall and nowhere to go and simply gets on a plane to go somewhere, anywhere - has very much the feel of other movies in the genre such as French Kiss.
That was the year Fiennes was seen in this semi-charming romantic trifle, the costume epic ELIZABETH (as Robert Dudley with whom the title character had a complex relationship) and as the title character in the rare but deserving comedic Oscar winner, SH*KESPEARE IN LOVE (which also won Oscars for Gweneth Paltrow, his leading lady and Judy Dench as an older Queen Elizabeth - but then "new kid on the block" Fiennes wasn't even nominated).The pace of THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU - or, as it was originally called, "Martha - Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence" (which can't quite decide if it's a "buddy film" or a romantic comedy) will drive some viewers up the wall, but those who stick with it for the joy of the contrasting boy/men buddies circling around the charming "Martha" and structure will be rewarded with a pat ending which is the very definition of a sure fire "date movie" - then go back and have a look at the hilarious WHAT'S UP DOC?
"Martha," the film's "McGuffin" around which the thin plot turns is a generic blonde pixie indistinguishable from half a dozen delightful others, in this case Monica Potter, whose only problem is that there are too many other talented actresses just like her.
The three best friends she meets and entrances are, in order, the blond, wealthy but shallow Daniel (Tom Hollander - more people probably saw him that year in support in the gay themed BEDROOMS AND HALLWAYS), author of the grand romantic gesture she will copy before the film's over, the struggling, competitive actor Frank (Rufus Sewell - a Tony nominee on Broadway for Tom Stoppard's ROCK & ROLL, here doing a remarkable imitation of a young Ian McShane!) and the insecure intellectual bridge instructor Lawrence (Fiennes).
You'll know 30 seconds after she meets him who Martha's going to wind up with, but if the ride is worth the trip (the flashback in the psychiatrist's office structure is a television oldie but goodie) the audience will come away happy.Nothing terribly original here, but once it gets rolling the actors are fun to be with.
Avoid this movie it's not very funny and doesn't make any sense.The script from Peter Morgan (The Queen, Last King of Scotland) was weak, the plot feeble and you didn't really care about any of the characters.Martha (Monica Potter)is an American woman on the rebound.
Martha meets Laurence (Joseph Fiennes) and promptly falls in love with him.
I think if the distributors had marketed it for the people who enjoyed "Notting Hill" it could have done well in theaters.The basic plot is of three boyhood friends in London who all meet an American girl.
Eventhough the outcome is fairly predictable, the plot takes several twists to arrive there.If you like romantic comedies, give this one a chance.
With these types of movies, I am often left wondering, "What was so great about her?", but I didn't feel that way about Martha.
this is one of the best modern romantic comedies I've seen in a long time.
It's extremely witty, the acting was great, there was actually chemistry between all of the characters, the storyline is fairly original, Joseph Fiennes is in it, etc.
This is a sweet, charming romantic comedy with a playfully self-referential plot knitted together in flashbacks from different characters' points of view: David Lodge's 'Small World' meets Hal Hartley's 'Flirt'.
But we know that it'll all come out right in the end, because it's that kind of film.Furthermore it has Joseph Fiennes looking soulful, and Rufus Sewell in a part he wanted "because I got to smoke cigarettes and say 'f*ck!' a lot".
Monica Potter is absolutely adorable as Martha, a bored American who flies in to London desperate for a change of luck.
Joseph Fiennes, later to hit it big in 'Shakespeare in Love', is also good.
Funny though to see Ray Winstone, usually known for his abrasive hard man characters in such films as 'Nil By Mouth', 'Face' and 'Scum' in such a cute romantic story!.
There are so many awful romantic comedies out there that I actually ignored this film on that basis alone for years.Then, one particularly uninspiring evening a friend lent a copy of it to me and I skeptically watched it.
This movie is very intelligently written, has sharp, realistic dialogue, and allows you to escape with Marta (Monica Potter) as she searches for a new life in England.She ends up meeting three very different men.You are introduced to a grotesque, and creepy, self-loathing Rufus Sewell, a short,needy, and very badly dressed Tom Hollander.I was wondering what was going to happen if she ended up with either of them.
On the basis of it's stars lack of Hollywood status this film will never reach a full audience, but good word of mouth might get it some due notice.Check it out, I know you won't be disappointed, it's funny..
In fact, anyone could argue that this movie is like any other romantic comedy.
Seeing that these movies were cheap and all, I decided to watch it because it's Monica Potter, and what can I say, no one should turn down any film with Monica Potter in it!
In all my regards, I consider her to be the scene stealer of the film, and I would have liked to see more of her.On the cover of the box, they say that this is a "sexy, romantic comedy." The only problem that leaves an abrupt question mark is, where the hell is the sex?
It's a delightful "romantic comedy" and I strongly recommend for Monica Potter fans and other lovers for a rainy day!9/10 (Or a B average due to the wonderful characters and the crazy storyline.
I remembered Mr. Sewell vaguely from "Hamlet," and have longed to see Mr. Fiennes in a film since "Shakespeare in Love," but never remember seeing Ms. Potter in anything, and I am sure that I never seen Mr. Hollander before.
I remembered Mr. Sewell vaguely from "Hamlet," and have longed to see Mr. Fiennes in a film since "Shakespeare in Love," but never remember seeing Ms. Potter in anything, and I am sure that I never seen Mr. Hollander before.
While I would not lie and say that this is a profound film and that there is anything to be learned from it or much to be thought of after seeing it, it would be only natural to praise it for its pure movie-like, feel-good quality, a small escape from the everyday.
While I would not lie and say that this is a profound film and that there is anything to be learned from it or much to be thought of after seeing it, it would be only natural to praise it for its pure movie-like, feel-good quality, a small escape from the everyday.
Originally released as  "Martha Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence" in Britain, this import is not your typical romantic comedy: the storyline is totally implausible, the characters are ridiculous, and the emphasis is on comedy over romance.
Curiously, the three men happen to be best friends...the crux which launches this charming and amusing little romantic comedy.
I had the opportunity to watch this movie by means of a VHS that I have gotten in Spain, and I can really say that I like it a lot, it really entertained very much me.
The movie begins when Lawrence (Joseph Fiennes) takes a psycological session where he talk about he, his two friends and a person that they have in common.
Martha (Monica Potter), an American young girl, travels to London to make her new life.
There, in the same flight, she will know Daniel (Tom Hollander), a young man that will fall in love at first sight of her.
Then, Martha will know in a park to Frank (Rufus Sewell), an actor with bad luck in the love, that also will fall in love of her.
Amusing, pleasant, funny, a great romantic comedy.
I mean Potter looks totally different - she does't look like that in the movie!
An American girl who decides to leave everything behind in Minneapolis for a fresh start in London separately meets three young Britons who happen to be friends and two of them fall desperately in love with her.
I suppose you can give this movie a few points for taking an unconventional approach to romantic comedy.
Can you keep them from getting together until the end of the movie in an entertaining way?These filmmakers never answer those questions in the affirmative, nor do they seem to even understand those questions are being asked in the first place.Martha (Monica Potter) is a Minneapolis girl who flies to London to escape a life of quiet desperation.
In short order she meets Daniel (Tom Hollander), who moons over her; Laurence (Joseph Fiennes), who responds to her overt flirtations with all the energy of a damp sponge; and Frank (Rufus Sewell), a miserable git who wants to bed her out of spite but whose wooing technique is only slightly more advanced than dipping her pigtails in the teacher's inkwell.In truth, you can see the potential for a successful rom-com here.
Monica Potter is more than cute enough and Tom Hollander and Rufus Sewell are appealingly pathetic as the obstacles that get in between Martha and Laurence.