Review

When Your World Comes Crashing Down...

Nate Watts

For a movie that almost got universally panned across the board, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I know everyone expects a lot out of director, James L. Brooks (Spanglish, As Good As It Gets, and The Simpsons), but I think he brought exactly what I was hoping to this movie, and that was great characters.

Sure, it's predictable in a lot of ways, as far as plotlines go, but the actors he cast, their dialogue, and the way the movie was shot, was quirky, original, and a lot of fun. Not your typical chick flick by time standards (compare the standard 90 minutes to this film's 121), but it gave the audience time to enjoy the characters and really watch them unfold.

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is apparently too old to play competitive softball anymore, and her whole life and expectations come crashing down with the loss of her spot on the team. She knowingly enters a horrible relationship with a womanizing pro-baseballer named Matty (Owen Wilson), who is self-absorbed and has more than a few "spend the night" kits at his luxurious apartment. Then she meets George (Paul Rudd), a businessman who is under investigation by the federal government on indictment charges, and has nothing left to lose. At such a low in her own life, she is pressured into picking one of them to hold onto as a rock in her storm.

The actors are incredible. Well, I should preface that by saying that they play the exact same characters they normally do in films, but in a way that allows them to be that way, and not making it seem gimmicky, or like a shtick. Wilson is his same old zany self, spacey but lovable, with a bit too much self confidence, while Rudd is the schlub next door, who is pathetic in a puppy dog sort of way. The first has everything all together, a career and a pretty good idea of who he is, while the latter has nothing to offer, is just learning who he is, and provides the worst first date known to man.

Reese Witherspoon, in her best role in a while, is utterly perplexed at what steps should be taken next, and doesn't seem to know what she wants. Their interplay is pretty hilarious, and a lot of fun to watch. Add to that some intelligent script-writing, and some great lines that are more real than most rom-coms out there today. Also the inclusion of Jack Nicholson as George's conniving father rounds out an already great cast.

It's not a perfect movie, but it never tries to be more than it actually is, and it ends up being quite enjoyable. Not sure what the rest of the critics saw so wrong in it, but it was light and fun, and had more than a couple hilarious scenes.

The Blu-ray special features include lots of commentary tracks, a pretty funny "making of" featurette, and almost thirty extra minutes of deleted scenes. The scenes add a lot to the story, but with the length of the movie already topping the norm, I can see why they chose those to adorn the cutting room floor. I'm always a sucker for a good blooper reel as well and this one doesn't disappoint.