Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Valentines Day

An all-star ensemble cast comes together in "Valentine's Day," which follows the intertwining storylines of a diverse group of Los Angelenos as they navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day. Couples and singles experience the pinnacles and pitfalls of finding, keeping or ending relationships in a day in the life of love.

The Cast:
Directed by veteran filmmaker Garry Marshall, the film stars Jessica Alba ("Fantastic Four"), Academy Award  winner Kathy Bates ("Misery"), Jessica Biel ("I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry"), Bradley Cooper ("The Hangover"), Eric Dane (TV's "Grey's Anatomy"), Patrick Dempsey ("Enchanted"), Hector Elizondo (the "Princess Diaries" films), Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx ("Ray"), Jennifer Garner ("Juno"), Topher Grace ("Spider-Man 3"), Academy Award® nominee Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Ashton Kutcher ("What Happens in Vegas"), Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah ("Chicago"), Taylor Lautner ("The Twilight Saga: New Moon"), George Lopez ("Beverly Hills Chihuahua"), Academy Award® winner Shirley MacLaine ("Terms of Endearment"), Emma Roberts ("Hotel for Dogs"), Academy Award® winner Julia Roberts ("Erin Brockovich") and award-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in her feature film debut. 



My Review:




For fans of bonbons and Hallmark sentiment who wish Valentine's Day lasted forever, Garry Marshall's movie arrives like the answer to a prayer. "Valentine's Day" is yet another Hollywood romantic comedy that's all but devoid of romance and laughs.

Valentine’s Day, an ensemble comedy cut that wants us to think that it was sewn from the same fabric as Love Actually and He’s Just Not That Into You, tells intertwining stories that tries to intersect at odd angles during 24 hours on one particular Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles. It’s a romantic movie stuffed with so much candy that you would probably want water to just wash it down a bit.

Directed by Garry Marshall, this movie brings together an “all-star cast” (by today’s dubious definition, anyway) that runs the gamut from better singer than actress Flavor of the Moment Taylor Swift and better shirtless Taylor Lautner to veteran Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine. Some make seismic tremors. Others barely show up on a Geiger counter. All have appeared in better venues elsewhere. The theory that even in this crazy world that the Blackberry is your best friend and that every needs a burst of love every February is shown by a bottomless and inexhaustible serendipity.

The characters include a TV sportscaster (Jamie Foxx) dispatched by his crazy program director (Kathy Bates) to do a fluff piece at a downtown flower market, and a happy and in love florist (Ashton Kutcher) who gets dumped by his self-centered fiancĂ©e who everyone doesn't like but no one really tells him.His best friend (Jennifer Garner), a schoolteacher, is left alone in bed by the dashing, newly divorced doctor she loves (Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy), who says he’s flying to San Francisco on “business.” Meanwhile, the handsome liar turns up at the flower shop to buy red roses for somebody else before driving his red convertible home to his wife and family.

In a Malibu beach house, a superstar sex-symbol quarterback (another hunky Grey’s Anatomy star, Eric Dane) announces his retirement from football to the horror of his butch press agent (Queen Latifah), who is struggling to keep his hottie image alive while breaking in a new motorcycle-riding receptionist (Anne Hathaway), who earns extra money as a phone-sex expert. May I also mention  high school girl (Emma Roberts) who's openly scheduling a virginity-ending session with her boyfriend (Carter Jenkins).

The part I liked the least was when Ashton was Grappling with airport security at LAX while heading her off from a wild goose chase to San Francisco to find the doctor. In the end of course the florist ends up locking lips with the schoolteacher, while two strangers (Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper) wake up together on an approaching 14-hour flight. Their roles I have to admit were really unpredictable.Did I even hesitate to even mention Shirley MacLaine and Hector Elizondo as Estelle and Edgar, two old grandparents who fall out over one of the wife’s old affairs, which must have even happened before a Man walked on the Moon.

The best scene in Valentine’s Day is a party in an Indian restaurant for people who hate Valentine’s Day. Should you see it? Only if you want to prove me wrong

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