“Okay, ten-second pity party. Go.” —Ethan
Today’s quick review: Something Borrowed. Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Darcy (Kate Hudson) have been best friends since they were children. But Darcy drives a wedge between them when she acts on an old crush and sleeps with Darcy’s fiance Dex (Colin Egglesfield). With only weeks to go before the wedding, Rachel and Dex must sort out their feelings for each other and decide whether to come clean to Darcy or just move on.
Something Borrowed is a romantic comedy about two best friends who are both in love with the same man. What begins as a momentary lapse grows into a full-blown affair as Rachel and Dex give in to their attraction. Something Borrowed features a good cast and a promising setup, but it misplays its hand. Unlikable characters and a meandering plot undermine what could have been a charming story.
Something Borrowed suffers from an unusual problem: The characters lose support from the audience as the movie goes on. Rachel starts out as a kind, bookish woman who’s used to living in the shadow of her outgoing best friend. But she loses the moral high ground by sneaking around behind Darcy’s back and then lying about it. And while the movie acknowledges that she’s done something wrong, it never finds a satisfying way to build on that.
The same goes for the other characters. Dex starts out suave but gets less appealing as he wavers, ruining what is otherwise good chemistry with Rachel. Darcy is a shallow person who has an interesting friendship with Rachel, but she gets less amusing as she gets drunk, bends the truth, and takes advantage of her best friend. By the last leg of the movie, most of the characters are in a no-win situation of their own making.
These character issues feed into Something Borrowed’s other main problem: It doesn’t seem to know where to take its story. Instead of building up to a grand choice, the movie lurches along as Rachel and Dex keep going back and forth about their affair. There’s no sense of culmination, only a series of questionable decisions that make the situation more and more untenable, topped off with a couple of unsatisfying plot twists.
Still, Something Borrowed does have a few redeeming qualities. John Krasinski does a fantastic job as Rachel’s friend Ethan, whose sarcastic quips light up every scene he’s in. The actors are well-cast and the dynamics between them work well. And while the love triangle is not as clean as in other romances, it may appeal to viewers who like things morally ambiguous and realistically messy.
Something Borrowed is a decent movie that could have been a lot more. Its good cast and tangled situation will appeal to viewers who don’t mind the lying and cheating, but its character issues and unclear trajectory make it a poor fit for viewers looking for a breezy romantic comedy. Take a chance if you are interested, but casual viewers may want to steer clear.
For a lighter romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson about two best friends with a similar dynamic, try Bride Wars. For a romantic comedy with a similarly sneaky lead but a better payoff, try My Best Friend’s Wedding. For another romantic comedy about a woman who becomes involved with the fiance of someone close to her, try The Wedding Planner.
[5.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491152/). I give it a 6.0 for misplaying a solid hand.