Fun, telling moments buoy up messy, unfocused rom-com

Fun, telling moments buoy up messy, unfocused rom com Image

GARRY MARSHALL TOOK ON AN impossible task for himself when he decided to cast a veritable constellation of movie stars in his latest production, Valentines Day. Why the masochistic decision? Well, it makes for variety in storytelling and great star valuebut, at what cost to the productions unity and focus?

Well, weve just viewed Valentines Day and can sadly report that, while some characters and stars do come through as particularly interesting in their own, separate right, too many others get lost in the madcap shuffleso, the production as a whole sometimes feels like an unfocused blob.

Roller-coaster ride

Some people may say that its fine for the movie to be so messy, because the topic of love itself is unpredictable, a veritable roller-coaster ride of contradictory emotions.

Still, its a movies job to point up and underscore what needs to be emphasized, so that viewers can more clearly get the most significant storytelling points and thematic links that the viewing experience is supposed to generate.

In any case, the movie does have some fun and/or telling moments that save it from ending up as a total, gelatinous botch. One of the most striking relationships limned is the one between the characters played by Topher Grace and Anne Hathaway. They like each other a whole lotuntil he discovers her shocking sideline: She moonlights as a phone-sex entertainer! Well, that sure douses his romantic ardor in a big hurry.

The vignette is further enlivened by its two stars enthusiastic performances. In particular, Grace is a most pleasant surprise, because we havent seen him on the big screen in quite a while. We trust that his surprisingly effective portrayal here will prompt producers to give him the bigger roles he clearly deserves.

Identity

On the other hand, Julia Roberts is generally wasted here in the cameo role of a returning soldier who has only 11 hours to spend with her mysterious loved one. The mystery loves identity is revealed toward films end, and it helps the movie peak to an agreeable emotive and thematic level, but the movies poor use of the actress talent still rankles.

For her part, Shirley MacLaine also has to play second fiddle to other, younger leadsbut, her character is eventually allowed to shine through as it is revealed that the old woman has been unfaithful to her husband.

MacLaines specific plus point comes from the fact that an old film clip of hers when she was a very young starlet was fortuitously found and cleverly edited into this production.

These and some other vignettes survive the movies generally messy progression, so all is not lost.

Fun, telling moments buoy up messy, unfocused rom-com