The romantic comedy is a mostly derivative genre. The kind of film that most swinging dicks will see begrudgingly with female company. Though in the ladies defence, as unoriginal as most of these films are, they’re no worse than the saccharine action films that litter the cinemas just as often (hard to believe just how many men-on-a-mission films were squeezed into 2010). Occasionally as well it’s possible to find a rom com which can be really refreshing and relatable. This doesn’t happen often enough though sadly, for every In Search Of A Midnight Kiss you’re going to get about ten Back Up Plans. Love And Other Drugs seems to fit snugly in the middle of the scale, successfully straying away from anything to whacky and sentimental, though at the same time does follow a lot of the same plot points as plenty of films that came before it.
The films follows Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) who at the start of the film is working in an electricals store but soon loses his job after being caught having sex with his bosses girlfriend. This leads his new calling as a pharmaceutical representative. On a visit to one of the many doctors he is pitching his product to; he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway). A patient who has stage one Parkinson’s disease, at first what is just a physical encounter soon blossoms into something more. Leading to both characters having to tackle personal trepidations about Maggie’s illness and whether their bond is strong enough to overcome them. Director Edward Zwick deserves credit for taking this subject matter and telling the story in a very even handed fashion. A love story where one half has some sort of affliction could have all too easily been made in to some sort of sappy nonsense geared towards nothing but bringing out the water works in the theatre. Instead faith is placed in the actors to absorb the audience and have them care for these two people in what feels like a very real situation.
It’s a faith that pays off as well. Although the script is mostly quite clever and natural there are certain moments that feel stilted and stick out as typical rom com fodder. The chemistry between the two leads though manages to hold these moments together and make them almost forgivable. Gyllenhaal does a good job with a role which involves a lot of ethical toing and throwing about whether he can really commit to someone who as their lives go on is going to rely on him more and more. The stand out performance of this film though belongs to Anne Hathaway, who’s extensive preparation for the role was crucial in making scenes where she is having a “bad day “ with her illness seem genuine. Maggie’s emotional struggle between her desire to stay with Jamie and her natural instinct to ward him off so he can’t walk out on her later is understandable and thankfully not played out to the point of tedium. A quick special mention as well to Josh Gad as Jamie’s rich hapless brother , who easily provides the funniest lines in the film. If Jonah Hill is ever busy then Gad is a fine second choice.
Most of the flaws that can be pinned on this film are mostly down the problems the genre has as a whole. Its predictability and script that falls back and forth between somewhat realistic and the overly poetic are what could lead to it being lumped in with offerings that are far worse. Having said that, this is a fine Saturday night easy watch that shouldn’t annoy too many men who are letting their girlfriends choose what to see.
3/5
No comments:
Post a Comment