Thursday, February 3, 2011

How Do You Know?!



OK James L Brooks didn't put in the exclamation mark but I take poetic license. I heard a lot of bad things about How Do You Know Brook's latest and to be truthful the combination of super affable Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon (who is like a 90s era Meg Ryan on sugary-steroids) and aging-saving-for-retirement Jack Nicholson made me a little cray-cray from the very outset.

The look of this film - ie actor's, sets, costumes - is also very outdoorsy-tanned-with-rosy-glow Barbie and Ken BBQ collection which didn't help either.

Also Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd? Zero chemistry.

ALSO DID I MENTION THIS IS THE MAN WHO MADE BROADCAST NEWS?! Why the Hell is he making phone home rom coms with the Reese Witherspoon?

BUT - after thinking it over for a while I've come around on this film a bit. Though I still found the ending too pat and still wish it had been cast and coloured differently. There were a lot of great moments and lines that Brooks managed to sneak in there. Brooks is still a bit of a genius when it comes to characters that you love and loathe in equal measure, whose motives you don't always quite get and who can be kind of irritating while you try and look over their faults.

Then again I'd rather rewatch Broadcast News 100 times. Seriously this scene - it kills me.

No comments: