Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Tuesday's Overlooked A/V: Down with Love

I always want this to be a better movie than it is. A loving tribute to the Doris Day/Rock Hudson films of the 50s but with the latitude of a modern film. Down with Love *should* work, yet it doesn't quite. Nonetheless, it's a fun frothy little romp and for once, Renée Zellweger doesn't annoy too much as her squinty cherubi doll-like face fits the hyper hip fashions and the bouncy feel of it. Ewan MacGregor plays the Lothario part note perfect and with great glee. Sarah Paulson does great as Vikki Hiller, the would be tough editor who can't quite stand up to the old men and really just wants to get married, and of course, the always delightful David Hyde Pierce shows why he should be inundated with roles in the Tony Randall vein. So funny! And yes, terrific to have Randall show up in a cameo, too.

The costumes, the sets -- all perfect. Peyton Reed's direction for the most part maintains that light touch needed for the story, but the script churns to a halt when switching gears. Like a lot of nostalgia production these days, it tries to have it both ways: reveling in the old times and the hilarity of women's lives sucking (-_-) but also 'updating' for a modern audience. And it's the latter part that doesn't quite work. In the end the script is not clever enough to overcome that challenge. It's a difficult thing to do, but I can't help wishing they'd worked harder to do so.

But it has ample charms and it would make a great double feature with Pillow Talk, so give it a whirl. And then drop by Todd's to see other recommendations.


 
 

5 comments:

Todd Mason said...

My allergy to the screechy troll-dollness of RZ has dissuaded me from checking this out so far...I'll let it play if I stumble across it...

K. A. Laity said...

Yeah, she's a bit too much most of the time for me, but it does suit here. I seem to only watch it in just those circumstances. Maybe I'll get around to Wiseblood next week.

Todd Mason said...

The O'Connor adaptation, WISE BLOOD? That's a good'n (even if Dourif being in that and other excellent work meant my ex and I wasted the first half-hour in CHILD'S PLAY, before getting refund passes). One which keeps being rec'd to me for RZ is the Howard biopic, with Mr. Twitch as Robert Howard, THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.

K. A. Laity said...

Yep. DVRed it the other night to rewatch, haven't seen in ages. I liked The Whole Wide World with two actors I don't much care for usually, but then I'm a sucker for films about writers.

And I love Child's Play, you grump! Bride of Chucky is the best though.

Todd Mason said...

I also have an allergy to films where everyone's an idiot, such as CHILD'S PLAY...Donna found it annoying as well as rasping at her animated doll distaste. It was an easy decision. Even Jennifer Tilly couldn't save that sequel for me...have finally seen all of the version of THE GETAWAY she takes the most difficult role in (and knocks out of the park).