When In Rome- Review

When In Rome is the story of museum curator named Beth (Kristen Bell) a single girl in New York and work-a-holic (how original). While in Rome for her sister’s wedding, a desperate Beth takes five coins out of the Fountain of Love. She soon finds out that taking these coins has consequences; the owners of the coins will automatically fall in love with her. The attention doesn’t seem to bother Beth until she falls for one of her suitors (Josh Duhamel) and things get complicated.

The bottom line is that the movie sets out to be a romantic comedy but doesn’t deliver on either of those promises. The film is romantic but in a very artificial way and it is funny but not particularly hilarious. Figure about one laugh every fifteen minutes. The problem probably stems from Duhamel and Bell who are integral parts of the romantic comedy genre in Hollywood but cannot carry a romantic comedy by themselves in order to make it really shine. Another problem is that the storyline is original for all about five minutes and then falls flat.Pacing in the film is steady throughout with no real wave of funny and romantic moments.

That said, the film was mildly entertaining if you’re really bored… go watch. If not, just wait for it to come out on DVD and then head to your nearest blockbuster.

Star rating: 3/5

Valentine’s Day Review

Valentine’s Day is a film about the interlapping Valentine’s day tales of all kinds of people; married or single, young or old. The film is directed by Gary Marshall who brought to the world the classic romantic-comedy that is Pretty Woman. Valentine’s Day sparkles due to an all-star cast that basically had every agent in Hollywood buzzing. The big names in the film include Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Queen Latifah, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo, George Lopez, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey  and the acting debut of Taylor Swift. All this to say that the opening credits take up a good ten minutes at the beginning of the film.

Despite the cast of Hollywood heavy-weights, lots of film critics are punishing the film with bad reviews for its unoriginal plot line and lackluster dialogue. The truth is the film isn’t heavy in its themes and doesn’t allow the audience to skim off more than the foam at the top. That said, what does one expect with a film that essentially tells ten different stories at the same time? It would be impossible to go deep into the plot without making the film three hours long. The film markets itself as a fun, date-night romantic comedy and in that  respect Valentine’s Day does follow through on it promises. It leaves  the viewer feeling bubbly and entertained, however superficial that feeling may be. Lopez and Kutcher also provide great comic relief and the script does include some surprising plot twists.

The movie provides something for everyone because it is diverse in its characters and for that reason it’s worth spending ten dollars on a movie ticket ( or five if you go on Tuesday).

Star rating: 3.5/5

Dear John Review

Dear John is a story about an American soldier, John, (Channing Tatum) who falls in love with a girl in his hometown, Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) while on leave. The film is based on the novel by Nichlolas Sparks who also wrote The Notebook. Sparks is known for his strength in writing tear-jerking love stories.This film delivers on one of those promises but fails on the other. Surprisingly, the film is a tear-jerker and develops it’s intense, heavy-themed side-plots much more than the actual love story that is expected.

The film’s thematic elements and multi-scene format make clear that it in an adaptation and makes the film rich in emotional impact.
In terms of a romance film, the progression of the romance does not require any real emotional investment from the audience. That said, Seyfriend and Tatum do have good chemistry on screen.
Tatum does a wonderful job as an American soldier in the middle of a post- nine/eleven war. He breaks out of the pretty boy mold he’s been in for this role. Seyfried’s character, however, isn’t relatable and makes audiences wonder why she makes the choices she does.
All things considered, the film does provide the dramatic storyline its preview suggests. If your look for a romantic, valentine’s day movie though, your better off renting Romeo and Juliet because Dear John falls short in this respect.
Star rating: 3.5