15 - 112mins - Comedy/Drama/Romance - 29th December 2010
In general I fit the stereotypical male movie goer- guns = good, action = good, comedy = good, romance = good...as long as it combines a lot of guns and action and so it was with a bit of trepidation that I approached Love And Other Drugs which I had down as a bit of a romcom. This especially looks the case if you view the short trailer I left at the end on my previous article.
The movie is about Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is a bit an all round confidant chap and knows how to handle himself with the ladies. After hopping from sales job/woman to sales job/woman he finally lands another one as a pharmaceutical rep selling to all of the local clinics in his area. Competition is tough between reps though so wooing the receptionists is all part of the game plan which plays nicely into his hands. During one such visit he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway) and is determined to have her.
Maggie is a creative type who has been limited by the onset of Parkinson's Disease and shares Jamie's belief in how to have a good time. I got the feeling that this is more due to her underlying hatred of the disease meaning she doesn't want to guilt anyone into having to look after her in the future and so intentionally tries not to form a relationship whereas Jamie just doesn't want a relationship in the first place. The movie does bring up the issue of Parkinson's Disease especially in younger people and is handled with the respect it deserves. Where a OTT romcom might have used it as a way to get a few cheap laughs, this treats it with importance and helps make it slightly better than the generic romcoms.
The plot does become a bit predictable in places and I was never really left wondering what was going to happen at the end. It would also have been beneficial if during the movie some idea of time had been kept so as to stop me from wondering if one day, week or even a couple of months had flown by.
Some of the best laughs come at the expense of Jamie's brother Josh (Josh Gad) a self made millionaire (although you would never know it) who is nothing like his brother in any respect. There is lots of boisterous brotherly banter and awkward moments between the two which is refreshing and reminds you that this movie is not just about the romance. Hats of also goes to the people picking the soundtrack as they hit the nail on the head with great tunes at just the right times.
In the end though this movie stands up due to the on-screen chemistry between Gyllenhall and Hathaway who were not afraid to get down and dirty for the cause. Quick quips and teasing jokes between the two of them and copious amounts of promiscuity help the cause in defining their complex relationship.
Was I blown away by this movie? No but it was better than I thought because it made me laugh with a few good comic scenes, showed off plenty of Anne Hathaway (wolf whistles please) and opened up the less well known world of what it's like to try and live with Parkinson's on a day to day basis and the emotions that come with it. Decent movie that gets a...
Rating: B-
Before I go on to divulge the next movie to be reviewed (it's a big one!!!) just a quick update from the lands of New Zealand where after a lot of stuttering, nearly strikes and the natural elements to contend with The Hobbit [Late 2012] has begun filming. Thanks Peter Jackson (who is looking quite scary now he is thin) for finally pulling your thumb out, now please make it as good as the Lord Of The Rings series or I will cry.
For tomorrows reading pleasure and to keep you just that one step ahead of game what with its release on the 23rd March, I give you Limitless [my review]!!! Your welcome.
Farm
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