|
Movie Review - A Lot Like Love (2005)
|
|
|
|
|
(What this rating means)
|
|
| |
|
| Director: |
Nigel Cole |
| Starring: |
Amanda Peet, Ashton Kutcher, Ali Larter, and Taryn Manning |
| Rated: |
PG-13 (for sexual content, nudity and language) |
| Length: |
107 minutes |
| Genre: |
Romantic Dramedy |
| Tagline: |
There's nothing better than a great romance... to ruin a perfectly good friendship. |
| Studio: |
Touchstone |
| Website: |
A Lot Like Love |
| Release: |
April 22, 2005 |
|
PLOT
|
Oliver (Kutcher) and Emily (Peet) have never spoken to each other, but that doesn't stop them from gettin'
it on in an airplane bathroom. Over a period of seven years they sporadically come in contact, growing a
little closer each time. But something always pulls them apart again. Will they ever get together once and
for all? Are they destined to love each other forever, or will it be a relationship that is a lot like
love, but not quite? Amanda Peet's captivating blue eyes ensue.
|
|
JOHNNY'S TAKE
|
Wow. Ashton Kutcher plays a loveable doofus in a romantic comedy. Who could've seen that one coming? Come
on, dude, you're showing me less range than a hip-hop singer's voice. You seriously need another shot in
the arm like The Butterfly Effect. I think I've just seen so many
of these similar romantic comedies that my attention span is starting to shrink.
First of all, the movie doesn't exactly start off with a strong case as to why I should care about the two
lead characters. Amanda Peet jumps Ashton Kutcher in an airplane bathroom and they join the "mile high
club" without having spoken a word to each other? The movie should've gone a different route and had one
of the characters contract a sexual disease. Roll credits. THAT would've been a twist. But nope, instead
it focuses on trying to convince the audience that these two are possibly meant to be together. Because,
you know, true love is always to be found in an airplane bathroom. Excuse me while I roll my eyes.
What starts out as a chance encounter leads to them miraculously bumping into each other again the next day
in New York. A pretty big city for such a freak encounter. How convenient! Oh well, I can deal with it.
Gotta suspend that disbelief, you know? The movie proceeds to cover 7 years worth of the two kids getting
together, going their separate ways, and leaving the audience waiting impatiently for them to just go ahead
and get together once and for all.
Here's the deal: the movie starts off 7 years ago. We know this because a cool little screen comes up that
says 7 YEARS AGO. We're then treated to other neat screens such as 3 YEARS LATER, 2 YEARS LATER, 1 YEAR
LATER, and the most original, and certainly my favorite - 6 MONTHS LATER. It's a good thing we get these
segue screens because there really isn't much else to inform us that so much time has passed. The first
transition is somewhat believable because of that great movie trick known as "different hairstyles for the
main characters." Wanna make a character younger or older? Change his or her hair. Works every time.
Other than that, I just never felt like any real time had passed in between each section. Amanda Peet
breaks up with a boyfriend, calls Ashton, and they get together and it's as if they've only been apart for
a few minutes worth of screen time. The chemistry is still there! Imagine that. Unfortunately, Ashton is
moving because of his business - he sells diapers on the Internet. No problem! A year later and they find
their way back to each other without missing a beat. Repeat the process.
It's cute, and they work well together, but I just never really believed any of it. Everything was just a
little too perfect, a little too tidy, and a little too convenient. But strangely, I still found myself
interested in the characters, as predictable as everything felt. And the predictability is exactly what
relieves the movie of any real drama or tension.
By the time the climax rolls around you'll probably have your mind made up regarding what's gonna happen.
You know what's coming, you just don't know exactly how it's gonna reach you. Things come to a boil when
Ashton serenades Amanda with Bon Jovi's I'll Be There For You (funny scene), but oh no! Amanda is
engaged! 6 MONTHS LATER and Amanda's sister sees Ashton getting fitted for a tux. IS HE GETTING MARRIED
TOO??? THIS IS CRAZY! WHAT WILL HAPPEN?!?!?! Don't worry, you'll figure it out before all is
revealed.
I can't really give a full recommendation for A Lot Like Love. It's a little too slow at times, and I
just never bought into all the cookie cutter conveniences. On that note, I guess the best way for you to
enjoy the movie is to totally go in expecting a modern day fairy tale rather than a realistic love story.
Serendipity was much more effective and convenient in tackling the subject of "soulmates being led
back together by fate."
But, despite all that, I still found myself being somewhat entertained. I know, it's weird. I think Amanda
Peet's bright blue eyes have a hypnotic effect. Be careful, staring directly into them can force you into
enjoying a movie more than you probably should! She plays her free spirited character well, and she and
Ashton demonstrate a likeable chemistry. I think Ashton may have restrained his goofiness a little too much
at times, but he still convinces us he's a dork.
Unfortunately, even these two can't convince us that we're seeing anything more than a moderately entertaining
love story that will more than likely be collecting dust 2 YEARS LATER at the bottom of your DVD shelf as it
gets lost among the more memorable and original movies of the genre.
|
|
ODDS & ENDS
|
- Johnny refused to fill his review with a bunch of puns born from the womb that is the movie title. But
he guarantees that at least one reviewer out there will use "A Lot Like Crap" somewhere in his or her review.
Mark these words.
- Gabriel Mann looks like Cory Branan. I predict that *maybe* one reader knows what I'm talking about.
- Amanda Peet is in Melinda and Melinda with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with Kevin
Bacon.
|
|
MAMA'S APPROVAL
|
There are only a handful of profanities, so things aren't too bad on that front. However, there is a scene
where Ashton and Amanda engage in a naked embrace in order to take a picture, so we see some side nudity.
Parents will want to cover their kids' eyes for a few seconds. Ashton posing like a Greek God statue
elicits nothing but laughter. He looks silly in the scene.
|
|
TRAILER COMPARISON
|
*shrugs shoulders* I'd say it's a fairly good barometer of what to expect. Nothing out of the ordinary
going on.
|
|
THE GIST
|
If you're a fan of Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet, and/or fairy tale romances where everything falls into place
pretty perfectly, then you'll find something to enjoy in A Lot Like Love. However, if you like your
laughs to come at you fast and furious, then you'll need to look elsewhere ... like a Johnny Betts review.
|
|
