The Love Punch (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'The Love Punch' (written & directed by Joel Hopkins, Last Chance Harvey) is an unambitious, but very watchable British caper comedy that gets its oomph from the gleeful performances by Emma Thompson & Pierce Brosnan. At the start of the film, Kate & Richard Jones (Thompson, Brosnan) have been divorced for 8 years. Their good friends & neighbors "Pen"elope & Jerry (Celia Imrie, Timothy Spall) have been married for 35 yrs. & are still going strong. After Kate bids farewell to her daughter Sophie (Tuppence Middleton) who is heading off for university, she plans to make a little something of her life and ... have a good time of it. But she is quickly shocked & agitated when Richard shows up at her doorstep with news that Vincent (Laurent Lafitte), a greedy French financier, had bought his investment company & bankrupted it; simultaneously wiping out the company out of their pensions, leaving ALL of them practically penniless.
And so, Richard convinces Kate to join him in a noble crusade to get their $$ back ... no matter what. They confront the remorseless corporate raider in Paris & realize they'll need help from their computer wiz son, and their beloved neighbor pals, Pen & Jerry. Richard & Kate concoct a crazy scheme at a big, fancy party that Vincent is holding on the gorgeous Cote d'Azur where he intends to wed a reluctant Manon (French beauty, Louise Bourgoin) & impress everyone with his gift of a huge $10,000,000 diamond necklace. Our 4 protagonists have their own plans {storming the party undercover as oil-rich Texans, haha} with what to do with the $$ after they steal said necklace. Hijinks ensue & sparks re-ignite btwn. the divorced couple who discover that a life together is, perhaps, more fun than being apart.
The cynic side of me knows the 'The Love Punch' is - in actuality - a so-so heist/caper that doesn't offer anything new to the genre. It even contains a few 'eek, that was baaaad' scenes. i.e., don't ask me how our 4 leads are able to scale a cliff in full tuxedo/ball gowns to reach the lavish wedding party, haha. Having said that, the movie lover side of me simply enjoyed the proceedings for what they were. I (mildly) enjoyed the 'overall'. It's silly, it's flawed, but it kept bringing a smile to my face. Part of that enjoyment came from the settings: I love British suburbia, & I love the scenic Mediterranean. But most of the good feelings I have towards 'The Love Punch' come from the four lead characters, led by Emma Thompson; who can do no wrong, for me.
Although Emma Thompson & Pierce Brosnan have never worked together before, their rapport is winsome. Individually, Thompson shines with her wit & humanity. Brosnan spoofs his James Bond image in a real charming way. And Celia Imrie (also funny in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) has a hilarious moment with a carved ice statue. And who doesn't love the huggable bear that is Timothy Spall. I love that middle-aged actors get the chance to shine in little films like this. And yet, the actors outshine their material. That's why I can't give this otherwise breezy, enjoyable movie an overly high rating. The originality in the screenplay just isn't there. I also question some directorial choices; weird shots, etc.. But yeah, charming performances, the plots' feel-good lightness, the breathtaking Cote d'Azur locales, & an ideal 90 minute running time kept a smile on my face throughout the more standard, mindless segments.
And so, Richard convinces Kate to join him in a noble crusade to get their $$ back ... no matter what. They confront the remorseless corporate raider in Paris & realize they'll need help from their computer wiz son, and their beloved neighbor pals, Pen & Jerry. Richard & Kate concoct a crazy scheme at a big, fancy party that Vincent is holding on the gorgeous Cote d'Azur where he intends to wed a reluctant Manon (French beauty, Louise Bourgoin) & impress everyone with his gift of a huge $10,000,000 diamond necklace. Our 4 protagonists have their own plans {storming the party undercover as oil-rich Texans, haha} with what to do with the $$ after they steal said necklace. Hijinks ensue & sparks re-ignite btwn. the divorced couple who discover that a life together is, perhaps, more fun than being apart.
The cynic side of me knows the 'The Love Punch' is - in actuality - a so-so heist/caper that doesn't offer anything new to the genre. It even contains a few 'eek, that was baaaad' scenes. i.e., don't ask me how our 4 leads are able to scale a cliff in full tuxedo/ball gowns to reach the lavish wedding party, haha. Having said that, the movie lover side of me simply enjoyed the proceedings for what they were. I (mildly) enjoyed the 'overall'. It's silly, it's flawed, but it kept bringing a smile to my face. Part of that enjoyment came from the settings: I love British suburbia, & I love the scenic Mediterranean. But most of the good feelings I have towards 'The Love Punch' come from the four lead characters, led by Emma Thompson; who can do no wrong, for me.
Although Emma Thompson & Pierce Brosnan have never worked together before, their rapport is winsome. Individually, Thompson shines with her wit & humanity. Brosnan spoofs his James Bond image in a real charming way. And Celia Imrie (also funny in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) has a hilarious moment with a carved ice statue. And who doesn't love the huggable bear that is Timothy Spall. I love that middle-aged actors get the chance to shine in little films like this. And yet, the actors outshine their material. That's why I can't give this otherwise breezy, enjoyable movie an overly high rating. The originality in the screenplay just isn't there. I also question some directorial choices; weird shots, etc.. But yeah, charming performances, the plots' feel-good lightness, the breathtaking Cote d'Azur locales, & an ideal 90 minute running time kept a smile on my face throughout the more standard, mindless segments.