EnemyPavement
This movie received a lot of praise for their homage to 1960s romantic comedies, achieving the same look and tone that is heavily associated with the era. However, when I watch this film all I see is 2003. With the bright, tacky colors and mediocre 00s covers of 60s songs it is clear that the film hasn't aged well.The characters are likable and are portrayed by a great cast that unfortunately received questionable direction from Peyton Reed. Each actor, though believable in other performances, gives off a goofy, ironic quality to the film. Basically, they're all acting badly on purpose. This was among the many strange stylistic choices made throughout the film.The film has a good plot that is correct with the type of film they're trying to imitate. Unfortunately, the dialogue ruins it. The script is full of a lot of annoying tongue twisters and lines that make the characters look like idiots.Another problem with the script was the plot twist. After Catcher Block reveals his identity, Barbara Novak reveals hers: a former receptionist who worked for and is in love with none other than Catcher himself. Then it is revealed in an extremely long speech where she summarizes the plot of the entire film we've been watching and explains that she had planned the whole thing. This is ridiculous, unrealistic and a bad direction to take the film. Then, after confessing her love for Catcher, she immediately changes her mind, and Catcher has to win her back in the last ten minutes of the film so that there is a happy ending and the two leads can sing a duet by the time the credits role.In short, the film is an eye-sore that could have been delightful, however due to some bad choices, the movie is a tacky piece of nostalgia that will cease to be remembered.
lukee69
This film redeems itself through the aesthetic stylized qualities of the actors and the screenplay with a beautiful sense of rhythm. It is an out- and-out romantic film. It shows the dilemma of both chauvinist and feminist agendas of the 1950s/60s in the way that both positions must concede they are indispensable to each other, this causes temporary performed rejection of the emotional and institutional ends of socialized flirting/mating rituals i.e. "i don't need you to feel this!", ;and, "i want to work". The female must conciliate a position by which feminism first achieves and then transcends masculinity (owning sex-initiation, ex- love) but must capitulate when the opposite sex also does surrender to the all-encompassing oxytosin that requites and seals the necessity of love. The script is brilliant, i commend the write despite the other films they have done. I truly believe this should be 8.5 on IMDb.
cnycitylady
Down With Love is a satire film that good-heartedly pokes fun at those films from the 60s starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, and it does it in the most convincing and charming way.They way that the movie is filmed is entirely in the same way that movies were filmed just at the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The characters are written in that same quirky sex-crazed style and it is such innocently sinful fun. Every joke is sex related, but subtly and sophisticatedly so, so that if a child fourteen or under should watch it they wouldn't understand why the adults laugh. Renee Zellweger fits this style of movie perfectly. She looks beautiful in the wardrobe of her character and she really brings the 60s back to life with her performance. Ewan MeGregor, I felt was a little miscast. I didn't quite believe him as the 'Playboy' but his chemistry with Zellweger brings up his performance and you have a good time watching the silliness of the past unravel before you.I don't understand why this film didn't do well. It's good light-hearted fun, as every romantic-comedy should be, and really takes you back to a time when movies were bright and silly and lovable. I loved it and give it a 6.7/10
PrettyKitty0
Down with Love was a nice idea for a movie. I was expecting something fresh and original from this movie. The performances are consistent, and the fast-paced feel of the movie is nice, but the movie tries too hard. When I say the movie tries too hard, I mean the OTHER twist at the end. When Renee's character, Barbara, turns out to also be someone other than who we think she is. I was fine with Ewan's character using another identity, it made sense, but when Renee's character reveals she's someone else, it just ruined the movie for me.The movie is entertaining, but the twist is just annoying. It was unexpected, I can say that much, but it wasn't needed. The movie could've been much better without that twist.
AD
