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Don't love it, actually |
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By: Tushar Joshi |
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Date:
2010-02-13 |
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Place: Mumbai |
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Valentine's Day
U/A; romance
Dir: Garry Marshall
Cast: Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Taylor Swift, Julia Roberts
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What's it about: There are 21 famous faces crammed into this love-fest. 'Name it and you got it' seems to be the approach undertaken in the making of this American 'Love Actually' remake. It's Valentine's Day and love is all around the million-dollar earning actors. It's more a matter of convenience and 'what sells' as opposed to 'let's get this ensemble cast to act!' Tailormade to suit every age group, sex, ethnicity and sexuality, there's no opportunity missed to deliver cheesy lines and create stereotypes to suit every romcom situation. Set in LA, the film has interlocking love stories set on V-Day. Devoid of soul or anything remotely inspiring, the plot crumbles under the weight of its ludicrous cast.
What's hot: While Love Actually had the dependable Bill Nighy, the knight in shining armour here is the legendary Shirley MacLaine. She serves as a reminder of an era when romance wasn't about tweeting I-love-yous. Those wanting to lap up everything that's hot right now â the two Taylors (werewolf and country singer), TV cuties (Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane), Academy award nominees (Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts) and black actors (Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah) won't be disappointed. Titanic in proportions to its casting, the film's a magnet for those wanting to blindly succumb to mainstream culture. It's ironic that the best scene in the film has to be one where everyone bashes the idea of a Valentine's Day.
What's not: Marshall might have the who's who in his film, but that serves more as a distraction than any other purpose. Like a headless chicken running all over the place, the film lacks cohesiveness and direction. There are moments when this ship is on autopilot. The romance seems forced and the heavyweights only add to the burden. Halfway through the film, it doesn't matter if it's Jessica Alba or Biel, whether Lautner takes his shirt off or not, or if Queen Latifah breaks into a song out of the Bronx! The scenes and dialogues are super- sketchy and the transition from one story to the other is jarring.
What to do: Rent the original inspiration to this snooze fest â Love Actually and watch it on Valentine's Day. Don't fall for the poster or the girl friend nagging you to see it just to ogle at Lautner under the pretext of love! |
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