Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: Bride Wars. Ever since they were kids, Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have dreamed of getting married at the Plaza Hotel. Their dreams look like they are about to come true when their boyfriends (Steve Howey and Christ Pratt) propose within days of each other. But friendship turns to animosity when the wedding planner (Candice Bergen) accidentally books Liv and Emma’s weddings on the same day.

Bride Wars is a romantic comedy about two best friends who become bitter enemies when their dream weddings conflict with one another. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway star as Liv and Emma, two very different women who don’t realize how much they need each other. In the months leading up to the big day, Liv and Emma try everything in their power to sabotage each other and make their own weddings as glamorous as they always dreamed.

Bride Wars is not high art, and it is not trying to be. The premise is contrived and relies on poor decision-making on both sides. But given its premise, the movie has a lot of fun. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are well-matched, the wedding sabotage is appropriately petty, and the movie even works in a pair of nice character arcs, where Liv has to learn to be less controlling and Emma has to learn to stand up for herself.

Bride Wars’ main failure is that it doesn’t leave enough time for its romantic relationships. Liv and Emma take center stage. Daniel (Steve Howey) and Fletcher (Chris Pratt) are afterthoughts. Ordinarily, this would be a reasonable choice for a movie about the brides, but the grooms have an important role to play later in the story, one that would have worked better with proper setup.

Bride Wars is a fun pick for anyone in the mood for some light bickering. The plot is a straightforward tale of a strained friendship, but the gags are pleasant, the cast is enthusiastic, and a few minor missteps do not hamper the movie too much. Fans of romantic comedies will get the most out of it, but anyone looking for a deep or insightful romance may want to steer clear.

For a comedy about the lead-up to a wedding from the perspective of the father, try The Week Of or either version of The Father of the Bride. For a comedy with a similar flavor involving a bride-to-be and her insufferable mother-in-law, try Monster-In-Law.

[5.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0901476/). I give it a 6.5 for breezy comedy without much substance.

Today’s quick review: The Sweetest Thing. Christina (Cameron Diaz), a party girl with a fear of commitment, begins to have unfamiliar feelings when she meets Peter (Thomas Jane) at a club. Urged on by her best friends Courtney (Christina Applegate) and Jane (Selma Blair), Christina takes a wild road trip to visit Peter at his brother Roger’s (Jason Bateman) wedding and tell him how she feels.

The Sweetest Thing is a raunchy romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz. Packed with sex jokes and poor decision-making, The Sweetest Thing follows three party-loving friends as they navigate the pitfalls of casual dating. In spite of a talented cast and a low-stakes premise, the movie wastes its potential. Tasteless humor, weak character work, and an almost nonexistent plot make it a hard sell even for viewers who are interested.

The Sweetest Thing gambles on crude humor in a major way. Nearly every joke in the movie revolves around sex, and the handful that don’t are just as lowbrow. Even setting aside the content of the humor, the jokes have a low hit rate. The setups are contrived, the payoffs are uninspired, and many of the jokes only exist as filler. While The Sweetest Thing has a few funny ideas here and there, it never really hits its stride as a comedy.

The movie also misses with its characters. Christina, Courtney, and Jane are meant to come across as funny and spontaneous, but they cross the line into crass and inconsiderate. Normally, this would be fine for a raunchy comedy, but the characters are not likable enough to get away with it. The movie spends so little time treating them like people that there is no reason to side with them when the situation inevitably gets awkward.

The one redeeming quality of The Sweetest Thing is its cast. Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair are fun, vivacious, and well-suited to their roles. If the script showed even a little more restraint, the trio could be the backbone of an excellent comedy. Instead, they are given jokes that are at best hit-or-miss and a story that barely bothers to go through the motions of romance.

The Sweetest Thing will have a niche for the right viewer. Its solid cast and explicit, over-the-top humor at least give it a distinct identity, and some audiences will appreciate what it has to offer. But the extremes it goes to will turn off most ordinary viewers, and the story and characters are not enough to make the jokes worthwhile. Approach with caution if you’re a fan of raunchy comedies, and steer clear otherwise.

For a better use of Cameron Diaz, try What Happens in Vegas or Knight and Day. For a raunchy comedy with a little more heart, try That’s My Boy. For one with similar problems, try Game Over, Man!. For a more romantic movie about a woman chasing after a man she barely knows, try Sleepless in Seattle.

[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0253867/). I give it a 4.5 for dodgy humor and a negligible plot.

“She’s awfully hostile for a girl named Joy.” —Jack

Today’s quick review: What Happens in Vegas. After a night of partying in Las Vegas, Joy (Cameron Diaz), a trader who was just dumped, and Jack (Ashton Kutcher), a slacker who was just fired, wake up to find they are married. But their plans for a quick divorce are put on hold when they win $3 million on a slot machine. Now Joy and Jack have to stay together for six months before they can split the cash and go their separate ways.

What Happens in Vegas is a romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher. Married by mistake in Vegas, Joy and Jack are ordered to give their marriage an honest try before a judge will let them touch the money they won. With $1.5 million to gain by getting the other one to walk away, Jack and Joy set out to make each other’s lives miserable using every childish trick they can think of.

Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher make for a great comedy duo. Joy and Jack are polar opposites in terms of their careers and attitudes towards life, but they share the same sense of petty vindictiveness. What begins as a few hurled insults quickly escalates into a full-blown marital war, complete with pranks and sabotage. Seeing them try to one-up each other time and time again is a treat.

The main shortcoming of What Happens in Vegas is that it skimps on romance. Instead of building to true love and a grand romantic gesture, the movie aims for the lower bar of mutual respect. What Happens in Vegas does a good job of showing how Joy and Jack bring out the best in each other, at least when they stop fighting, but their relationship is missing the tenderness needed to be fully satisfying.

What Happens in Vegas is not high art, but it is a worthwhile watch for anyone who likes its leads. The comedy is colorful and just exaggerated enough to be fun, and while the romance does not have everything a viewer could want, the plot progression is capably handled. Give it a shot when you are in the mood for some quick laughs.

For another comedy about a fan forced to jump through hoops by a judge’s sentence, try Anger Management. For a witty romantic comedy with a similarly cavalier attitude towards divorce, try Intolerable Cruelty. For a comedy about a slacker who learns to take responsibility, try Big Daddy.

[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033643/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for fun humor and a decent premise.

Today’s quick review: Sweet Home Alabama. Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon), a New York fashion designer, hits the jackpot when Andrew (Patrick Dempsey), a political scion with a perfect personality, asks her to marry him. But before they can tie the knot, Melanie has one loose end to take care of: going back to her hometown in Alabama to convince her stubborn husband Jake (Josh Lucas) to finally sign the divorce papers.

Sweet Home Alabama is a romantic comedy about a woman who has to confront her past so she can move forward with her future. Reese Witherspoon stars as Melanie, a girl from Alabama who reinvented herself when she moved to New York. Sparks fly when she has to confront the people she left behind, including her parents (Fred Ward and Mary Kay Place), her childhood friends, and her husband Jake, who hasn’t given up on winning her back.

Sweet Home Alabama runs on a mixture of childish arguments, old scars, and small-town Southern culture. Everywhere Melanie turns, she’s greeted by uncomfortable shadows of the person she used to be. Melanie struggles to accept her past and convince Jake to move on, all while trying to keep her marriage a secret from Andrew. Meanwhile, the honest antics of her friends and family give the movie humor and charm.

While the conflicts work fairly well, Sweet Home Alabama suffers from some character issues. Nearly every character in the movie is catty, and the bad blood over Melanie’s departure taints what would otherwise be a heartwarming homecoming. Melanie and Jake have the makings of a fun relationship but never establish much chemistry. So while the mechanics of the plot are good, Sweet Home Alabama gets mixed results at an emotional level.

Sweet Home Alabama is a fine pick for fans of romantic comedies but not an outstanding one. It carves out a place for itself with an interesting love triangle and a town full of trouble for its heroine. But the movie’s characters and romance are only a partial success, leaving it without the emotional impact of other romantic comedies.

For another romantic comedy set in a small rural town, check out Runaway Bride. For a romantic comedy starring Patrick Dempsey, try Made of Honor. For a comedy about an ordinary woman corrupted by the fashion industry, try The Devil Wears Prada.

[6.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256415/). I give it a 6.5 for a good setup missing some of the vivacity it could have had.

Today’s quick review: Runaway Bride. Desperate to make his deadline, Ike Graham (Richard Gere) pens an unflattering column about Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts), a woman who left three grooms at the altar and is now engaged to a fourth. But when Ike’s sloppy reporting costs him his job, he travels to rural Maryland to write about Maggie’s latest wedding, only to find that she’s a much different person than he thought.

Runaway Bride is a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. A cynical New York journalist learns to see eye-to-eye with a vivacious country girl with a checkered marital history. Runaway Bride features an original premise, a deliberately constructed romance, and a fun small-town setting. But while it gets most of the formula right, not everyone will appreciate its choice of leads or its breezy take on marriage.

Runaway Bride has a few main points in its favor. The fictional town of Hale, Maryland is almost a character in its own right, a picturesque place full of lively locals. The jokes are light and funny without feeling too forced. The romance is a little peculiar, unfolding gradually as Ike gets to know the real Maggie, but there are some subtle points to their relationship that make it work.

The catch is that Runaway Bride has something of an uphill battle. Roberts and Gere perform well individually, and their sparring over Gere’s article is fun to watch. But as far as romance goes, they are missing the easy chemistry seen in other romantic comedies. Runaway Bride gets their relationship to where it needs to be, but it has to work to do so, instead of letting them fall effortlessly in love.

Runaway Bride is a decent choice for fans of romantic comedy. It does not shake up the formula in any major way, but its unique premise, solid execution, and attention to detail make it satisfying for those who enjoy the conventions of the genre. Steer clear if you are not interested in Gere, Roberts, or small-town charm.

For another romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, check out Pretty Woman. For another romantic comedy about a cynical journalist and a woman with a zest for weddings, try 27 Dresses. For romantic complications in a rural town, try Sweet Home Alabama.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163187/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an enjoyable story with a few nice touches.

Today’s quick review: Sleepless in Seattle. After losing his wife to cancer, Sam (Tom Hanks) moves to Seattle with his son Jonah (Ross Malinger). But when Sam is still depressed after a year and a half, Jonah calls into a nationwide radio show to ask for advice. In Baltimore, Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the broadcast and falls in love with Sam. Now she must choose whether to stay with her dull fiance (Bill Pullman) or take a chance on love.

Sleepless in Seattle is a romance about two strangers from opposite ends of the country who fall in love. The movie follows Sam as he tries to get back into dating and Annie as she wrestles with feelings she can’t quite explain. Sleepless in Seattle handles its premise well and does a good job building to its finale. However, its indirect story and subdued presentation style will not speak to everyone.

Sleepless in Seattle’s strength lies with its characters. Sam and Jonah are likable enough to spend time with, while Annie strikes the right balance between ordinary and a little quirky. The performances of Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and Ross Malinger are all hard to fault. The movie also orchestrates its story well, showing in countless subtle ways that Sam and Annie are right for each other even though they have never met.

The catch is that Sleepless in Seattle does not have the usual crutches of most romances. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan get comparatively little screen time together, so their chemistry is indirect. The movie has snatches of comedy, but the overall tone is wistful. Sleepless in Seattle is also old-fashioned in some peculiar ways, with everything from the soundtrack to the presentation style designed to evoke the romantic movies of old.

Ultimately, Sleepless in Seattle accomplishes what it sets out to do, but it does not have the immediate, universal appeal of other romances. Those in the mood for something slow and sentimental will enjoy the movie for its performances, its understated sense of humor, and the touch of destiny its romance has. But if you are looking for easy laughs, a fast-paced story, or a close personal connection, you may want to steer clear.

For another romantic drama starring Meg Ryan, try City of Angels. For more winding love story starring Tom Hanks, try Forrest Gump. For a somewhat darker story with a similarly wistful tone, try Frequency.

[6.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108160/). I give it a 7.0 for solid execution of a hit-or-miss premise.

Today’s quick review: Friends with Benefits. Tired of complicated relationships, Dylan (Justin Timberlake), the art editor for GQ, and Jamie (Mila Kunis), the headhunter who recruited him, decide to spice up their friendship with casual sex. At first the arrangement works perfectly. But as the two grow even more intimate with each other, they realize that they might be more than just friends after all.

Friends with Benefits is a romantic comedy about two friends who try to have a relationship with none of the usual baggage. Friends with Benefits is a self-aware movie that takes shots at the conventions of the romantic comedy genre. Determined not to make the mistakes that led to their previous failed relationships, Dylan and Jamie try to keep their boundaries even as they become more and more involved in each other’s lives.

The bedrock of Friends with Benefits is the easy chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. Dylan and Kate are sarcastic, witty, and prone to cynicism, but they are also loyal friends who are a perfect match for one another. Seeing them help each other through the minor crises of their lives is always a treat. The movie also uses its supporting cast to good effect, supplementing its leads with a few well-chosen friends and family.

Friends with Benefits won’t appeal to everyone. The ironic detachment of Dylan and Jamie will be refreshing to some viewers and abrasive to others. The sexual content restricts the movie to certain audiences and makes it raunchier than the average romantic comedy. And while the plot is enjoyable enough, it hits many of the beats it purports to make fun of, making it a lukewarm criticism of Hollywood romance.

Friends with Benefits is a fine pick when you are in the mood for something light, steamy, and frequently funny. While it is ultimately not as cynical as it pretends to be, Friends with Benefits makes good on its premise with a pair of charismatic leads and a polished script. Steer clear if you are looking for either a sharper subversion of the genre or a more wholesome, traditional romance.

For another self-aware romantic comedy that examines the life cycle of relationships, try 500 Days of Summer. For a more earnest and emotionally satisfying breakdown of platonic, physical, and romantic love, try Love Actually. For a romantic comedy with a similar premise, try No Strings Attached.

[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1632708/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for likable leads and a basic but enjoyable plot.

“You’re assuming that you’re normal, which is hilarious.” —Frank

Today’s quick review: Destination Wedding. Frank (Keanu Reeves) and Lindsay (Winona Ryder) hate each other instantly when they meet at the airport, and they are disgusted to find out that they are both headed to the same destination wedding. But over the course of an excruciating weekend, they grudgingly bond over acerbic quips, their shared hatred of the bride and groom, and their pessimistic views on life and romance.

Destination Wedding is a cynical romantic comedy about a pair of misanthropes stuck together for the weekend. Destination Wedding features a minimalistic story with just two speaking roles. Frank and Lindsay watch from the sidelines as the wedding unfolds, taking verbal shots at the guests, each other, and their own miserable lives.

Destination Wedding’s minimalism is a double-edged sword. The lack of distractions brings Frank and Lindsay’s distinctive personalities to the fore and gives the clever, incisive dialogue a chance to shine. But there are no interruptions to vary up the tone or soften the edge of their cynicism. From start to finish, the movie is one long conversation between two jaded people, which can be taxing for anyone who doesn’t share their worldview.

How much you get out of Destination Wedding will depend strongly on your taste. The premise is unique enough to make the movie interesting to watch on intellectual grounds, and Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder are great fits for their roles. But the one-note storytelling and relentless cynicism take their toll. Avoid it if you are looking for a conventional or emotionally satisfying romantic comedy.

For a minimalistic drama that uses its restricted cast for more dramatic ends, try Locke or The Guilty. For a dry, surreal, and unsettling drama with a similarly cynical take on romance, try The Lobster. For a more upbeat romantic comedy that takes shots at the concept of true love, try 500 Days of Summer.

[6.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6987770/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for an experimental storytelling style that’s intriguing but monotonous.

Today’s quick review: The Bounty Hunter. While investigating a suspicious suicide, journalist Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston) misses a court date and has a warrant put out for her arrest. Her ex-husband Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), now working as a bounty hunter, delights at the opportunity to take her to jail. But the job gets complicated when their old feelings re-emerge, and Milo soon finds himself dragged into Nicole’s investigation.

The Bounty Hunter is a romantic crime comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Once madly in love, Milo and Nicole are at each other’s throats when Milo receives a warrant to arrest Nicole. The Bounty Hunter splits its time between Milo’s attempts to bring Nicole to jail and the criminal chaos they land in as a result of Nicole’s investigation.

The Bounty Hunter has a healthy sense of humor. Butler’s performance as Milo is petty, stubborn, and charismatic, while Aniston’s Nicole is only marginally more mature. The upper hand shifts between the two throughout the movie, and their bickering and attempts to sabotage one another give The Bounty Hunter plenty of energy.

The Bounty Hunter’s main weakness is that it does a mediocre job of building anticipation. Nicole’s investigation is a fixture throughout the story, but it only takes center stage until the end. The movie throws out a few token clues to keep the investigation going but withholds key information until it is needed. This makes it hard to invest in the mystery itself, rather than the characters, and mutes the impact of the finale.

The Bounty Hunter is a pleasant watch that has a balanced mix of action, bickering, and romance. While it does not handle its plot as deftly as it could, the movie scores with its premise, characters, and humor. The Bounty Hunter will not be for everyone, but those in the mood for something breezy should give it a try.

For another romantic comedy about two exes rekindling their relationship over a shared adventure, try Fool’s Gold or The Love Punch. For a romantic crime comedy with a similar tone, try Hit and Run. For a similar flavor of investigation, try Spenser Confidential or Jack Reacher. For romantic action comedy with a bickering husband-and-wife duo, check out Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038919/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for fun chemistry and a decent plot.

Today’s quick review: Made of Honor. By the time Tom (Patrick Dempsey), a life-long womanizer, realizes that he is in love with his best friend Hannah (Michelle Monaghan), she is already engaged to Colin (Kevin McKidd), a seemingly perfect man from Scotland. When Hannah asks Tom to be her maid of honor and help plan her wedding, Tom hatches a plan to prove that Colin is wrong for her, sabotage the wedding, and win her back.

Made of Honor is a romantic comedy about a man who falls in love with his best friend. After a decade of companionship and emotional support, Tom finally realizes that he cares for Hannah more than any of the shallow women he has been dating. With only weeks before wedding, Tom attempts every trick he can think of to break up Hannah’s engagement to Colin.

Made of Honor goes far thanks to its charming premise and perfectly matched leads. Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan have great chemistry, and the movie does a skillful job of playing that up, showing in countless subtle ways that they are right for each other. Their banter is a steady source of humor, and seeing Tom realize how much he relies on Hannah is quite rewarding.

However, Made of Honor makes a few missteps along the way. Tom is a charismatic man who is forward about what he wants, but the story thrusts him into a passive-aggressive role. Left with no way to compete with Colin on level footing, Tom resorts to sabotage and deception. This dynamic even extends to the finale, which is satisfying enough but suffers from the way the movie boxes Tom in.

Give Made of Honor when you’re in the mood for a light romantic comedy with a great cast and a decent premise. The movie does not do a perfect job with its story, struggling to strike the right balance with its love triangle, but the characters are fun to spend time with. Check it out if you like romantic comedies.

For another romantic comedy about a womanizer who has a last-minute change of heart, try Ghosts of Girlfriends Past or Wedding Crashers. For one about best friends who realize they are right for each other, try Just Go With It.

[5.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0866439/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for well-matched leads, good humor, and slight plot issues.