*sigh* They don't make screwball romantic comedies today like they did back in the 1930s and 1940s. The characters today are too cynical, self-aware, and guarded. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised when the movie is titled: "Love is a Four-Letter Word". While a 1930s comedy would have the title be a wink and nod, or a double-entendre with charm, here love is indeed a four letter word to be overcome with effort.
The story is about two divorce lawyers representing opposing clients. He is a new lawyer in town and unfamiliar to her. She has a mother pushing her to meet a man. She is more cynical on love than the man even though she doesn't utter the common phrase "I don't need a man".
Yes, it very similar to "Laws of Attraction" with Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore. The difference being:
1. Brosnan was a lawyer equal to Moore, unlike here where Robert Mailhouse's character is not the equal to Teri Polo's character as a lawyer.
2. Brosnan has charm and a twinkle in his eye. Mailhouse is a decent, sincere, and boring, guy.
3. Moore was fun as a sputtering character whose life and routine was turned upside down by Brosnan. Polo's character is always in control and more cynical on love.
The cynical part is my problem with this film. While the characters probably are more realistic, and the situation and divorce they are handling are not as outrageous as in "Laws of Attraction", they are also not as fun. Polo's character is too cynical and guarded in the beginning and throughout much of the film. By the time she warms up to love it was too late. For me at least. I didn't care.
In the "boy pursues girl" phase of the "boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy pursues girl" situation I was thinking the Mailhouse character needed to get out more and meet people. While he was new to town, she wasn't the only person out there that he could date. She wasn't worth the trouble to pursue. She is too cold. I saw no spark of warmth under that cold exterior. Yes, I know, not a good thing to think when watching a romantic comedy.
The movie is not bad, it is earnest. Maybe too earnest as I am having trouble of thinking of something funny from the movie. Maybe my mistake was in thinking this movie was a romantic comedy when it is just a romance movie. I *think* there were scenes where they were trying to be funny, but they seemed kind of flat.
I liked that the couple were older as he at least admitted to be 40. The supporting characters, while not all were well developed, at least most seemed to be more than simplistically one-note.
I didn't feel like I had wasted my time watching the movie, but it will be quickly forgotten.
