Rating of
3/4
A Well-Written Rom-Com
Franz Patrick - wrote on 09/06/08
This is one of the better atypical romantic comedies out there that is truly for everyone. All the leading actors–Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks, and Rachel Weisz–did a really good job embracing their characters. It’s enjoyable watching this picture because it’s like playing detective: figuring out the identity of Breslin’s mom from Reynold’s story. I was engaged because I gathered clues from the things that the characters said to their actions. Granted, I still got the answer wrong but that’s the fun of it; it’s actually challenging. Breslin did a really good job playing a precocious kid, but not too much to the point where it’s creepy or annoying. Even though she acts older than her age, she still has that childish immaturity that reminds us that she’s still very young. Reynolds is extremely likeable here because he’s a really good guy but the things in his life didn’t go according to plan. We want him to succeed so we wish for that happy ending for him. Although the ending is bittersweet more than anything, it’s just right because that’s how life is sometimes. Another reason why I’m fond of the movie is because that idea of my life turning out differently than what I had planned scared me. Watching Reynold’s character being so unhappy with his love life and his job really struck a chord with me because I don’t want to end up like that. But somehow, the silver lining is that maybe things are supposed to happen the way we don’t expect them to. And maybe, just maybe, through a different and more complex route, we’ll end up with what we’ve been wishing for.
