“Let me get this straight. You don’t want to cheat on your girlfriend with your wife?” —Mr. Fitzpatrick
Today’s quick review: She’s the One. Mickey Fitzpatrick (Edward Burns), a cab driver looking for direction in life, gets more than he asked for when he meets Hope (Maxine Bahns) and marries her the next day. As the couple struggles to make their impulsive marriage work, Mickey’s brother Francis (Mike McGlone) grows distant from his wife Renee (Jennifer Aniston) while having an affair with Heather (Cameron Diaz), Mickey’s ex-fiance.
She’s the One is a romantic drama about the tangled love lives of two New York brothers. As Mickey tries to decide whether passion is enough to keep him with a near-total stranger, Francis follows his heart down a dangerous path. She’s the One specializes in romantic reflection, difficult situations, and honest character studies. Both its writing and its acting are solid, but its take on romance will not appeal to everyone.
She’s the One has a knack for realistic characters. Mickey, Francis, and their father (John Mahoney) are all flawed in interesting ways, and their shared history affects the way they interact with each other and the women in their lives. Opposite them, Hope, Renee, and Heather have different personalities and want different things from their men. Seeing the way the various conflicts play out is the main draw of the movie.
The downside is that She’s the One is much less passionate than other romances. Mickey’s connection with Hope largely happens offscreen, leaving the audience with the strained parts of their relationship. Francis’ relationships are tainted by his affair and his attempts to rationalize it. There are no grandiose gestures or playful flirting for the audience to latch onto, only a slow unraveling broken up by snatches of wry comedy.
How much you get out of She’s the One will depend heavily on your tastes. Those willing to follow the movie where it goes will find that it’s an interesting pick, a portrait of two men making questionable decisions and paying the consequences. But those who are looking for a more optimistic view of romance may want to give it a pass, as it has neither the sentimental tone nor the pure-hearted characters to appeal to an idealist.
For a dramatic comedy about the tangled relationships of a family of sisters, check out Hannah and Her Sisters. For another introspective drama about the collapse of a relationship, try Alex of Venice. For another movie with the same trio of leads, try The Brothers McMullen.
[6.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117628/). I give it a 6.5 for solid character work and a hit-or-miss story.