Leap Year (D or 1/4 stars)
'Leap Year', directed by Anand Tucker, is your typical January romantic comedy. In other words: uneventful. The film not awful, but it's so utterly mediocre that it's a wonder if anyone could say they loved or even liked it. The story: when their 4-year courtship comes & goes without a marriage proposal, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to take the reins from boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott). You see, diamond stud earrings aren't good enough, she wants the rock on her little finger. Hearing about an Irish tradition in which women are allowed to propose to men on Feb. 29th (Leap Year), Anna decides (with guidance from her dad played by the great John Lithgow) to follow Jeremy to Dublin where he's at a doctor conference ... and do just that.
Howwwever, inclement weather & fate intervene - leaving her plane stranded in a small Irish village. From there, she enlists the help of a handsome, but arrogant innkeeper, Declan (Matthew Goode), to help her get to Dublin. For purposes of the plot, the flighty Anna & the brutish Declan argue their way across the country. Will she eventually strike a chord with him? Or, as the consummate planner, will she get engaged to Jeremy as planned? Ugh. Who cares?
You know, I really, really like Amy Adams. I also tend to enjoy Matthew Goode's performances. But there isn't too much chemistry btwn. the 2 of them in this film (something Adams usually excels at - chemistry). And furthermore, I did not like these characters very much. Individually, Adams' Anna is shallow & too-cute. Goode's Declan is ... kind of an ass. And they are just too antagonistic to each other throughout for me to get invested in their 'falling in love'. I think it's safe to say that they end up together. But their 'oh, I'm so in love with you' conclusion feels phony because of that insistent antagonism from before.
If you want to sit in a theater on a cold, rainy Sunday to eat some popcorn, sip soda, & take-in the quaint setting, then this film is an absolute draw. But after you comment on the countryside setting, there's not much else to discuss. The script is l-a-m-e (with witless, manufactured dialogue). Situations are contrived (beyond belief). And the humor misfires (i.e., a scene where Anna wrecks a motel room while plugging in her cherished blackberry). I'm sure some people will consider this a pleasant rom-com, with decent acting, & great scenery ... a painless venture. Not for me. Plot contrivances aside, I just didn't buy the mismatched bond that was formed between these 2 characters. 2009's (500) Days of Summer had more spark, charm, & originality in 5 minutes than this film has in 90!
Howwwever, inclement weather & fate intervene - leaving her plane stranded in a small Irish village. From there, she enlists the help of a handsome, but arrogant innkeeper, Declan (Matthew Goode), to help her get to Dublin. For purposes of the plot, the flighty Anna & the brutish Declan argue their way across the country. Will she eventually strike a chord with him? Or, as the consummate planner, will she get engaged to Jeremy as planned? Ugh. Who cares?
You know, I really, really like Amy Adams. I also tend to enjoy Matthew Goode's performances. But there isn't too much chemistry btwn. the 2 of them in this film (something Adams usually excels at - chemistry). And furthermore, I did not like these characters very much. Individually, Adams' Anna is shallow & too-cute. Goode's Declan is ... kind of an ass. And they are just too antagonistic to each other throughout for me to get invested in their 'falling in love'. I think it's safe to say that they end up together. But their 'oh, I'm so in love with you' conclusion feels phony because of that insistent antagonism from before.
If you want to sit in a theater on a cold, rainy Sunday to eat some popcorn, sip soda, & take-in the quaint setting, then this film is an absolute draw. But after you comment on the countryside setting, there's not much else to discuss. The script is l-a-m-e (with witless, manufactured dialogue). Situations are contrived (beyond belief). And the humor misfires (i.e., a scene where Anna wrecks a motel room while plugging in her cherished blackberry). I'm sure some people will consider this a pleasant rom-com, with decent acting, & great scenery ... a painless venture. Not for me. Plot contrivances aside, I just didn't buy the mismatched bond that was formed between these 2 characters. 2009's (500) Days of Summer had more spark, charm, & originality in 5 minutes than this film has in 90!