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Member since:14.03.2003
Reviews:68
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This film had the makings of something very special. It had a predictible, unbelievable romatic storyline. It had a man doing a posh English voice dressed in period costume. It had teen movie escapees in supporting roles, and most importantly, the one thing that's guaranteed to make me enjoy a film.
Hugh Jackman.
Last year the conversation in my student flat often veered towards the many merits of this man, who is, actually, old enough to be my dad. But that's a minor detail. We all loved him in X-Men, in Swordfish, in the National Theatre's Oklahoma, and even in the abominable 'Animal Attraction', so we were highly anticipating this film, which is my favourite genre - romantic comedy.
It got released during some holiday or other so I dragged my mom to UCI to watch it with me, saying "you liked Sleepless in Seattle...and THIS has HUGH...". And she sat through the whole thing and even laughed. More importantly, by the end of it she fancied him too. A Miracle.
The plot : Kate (Meg Ryan, who else in a rom-com?) is a modern New-Yorker with a wardrobe full of high-necked Prada blouses and
black collarless suits (sorry, I'm a fashion student, I notice these things) and an assistant played by that promiscous girl from American Pie (Natasha Lyonne). Her ex, Stuart, is a bit of a live-wire who tries to convince her he's found a hole in the fabric of time. As you do. This would be completely unbelievable, had his latest jaunt not resulted in his being followed back to the present day by Leopold, an English Duke from 1876 played by some Aussie actor whose name slips my mind.
Ok, played by Hugh Jackman.
Much chaos results, with a little fish-out-of-water comedy, stupid jokes about picking up dog poo, an unbelievable sub-plot where Leopold becomes the face of a butter substitute, and, of course, the requred romance between our hero and heroine.
I say heroine, she's not the most likeable female character from a romantic comedy. But I could just be jealous that at the end of the film she gets Hugh Jackman and I get an empty bucket of popcorn and a sore bum.
Indeed, though Jackman puts in a great performance and is believable as the stuffy Duke, the more endearing characteristics of this film come in the minor details and minor characters.
Liev Schreiber as Stuart makes the most of a stupid role which sees him falling down lift shafts and trying to convince people he's not insane, that he DID travel back in time. More funny than you'd imagine.
Kate's younger brother, an aspiring actor called Charlie is played brilliantly by Clueless / Road Trip star Breckin Meyer, who I really think is the runaway star, with classic lines like "We have a saying in the McKay house: "You shake and shake the ketchup bottle, none will come out ,and then a lot'll." and his conviction that Leopold is only ACTING like a 19th Century duke.
In fact, most of the best scenes in this hit-and miss film are between Charlie and Leopold, rather than Kate and Leopold - a classic moment is when Charlie explains the rules of how to wash up (close the dishwasher door when Kate is watching...otherwise it didn't happen!) and their comic moments exchanging chat-up techniques.
In fact, I found myself wishing for more screentime while the two men in her life sparred, rather than waiting for the inevitable love story to happen.
If you're a fan of the chick-flick genre, then this is an enjoyable, watchable film, with a few good special effects (to get to 1876, you have to jump off the Brooklyn bridge, you see) and with a good soundtrack (Sting did the lead track, called 'Until') but there are moments that slightly miss the mark. It's a difficult film to find a balance in - an unbelievable setting and narrative is supposedly made up for by a very believable love story. But that's not quite the case - wishy washy lead characters (especially Kate) just make the supporting cast seem so much better. Meg Ryan tries her best and there are funny moments for her too (watch this film and try not to repeat "could you go, could you go, could you just go..." like she did) and my favourite Kate quote on meeting leopold in full Duke outfit - "So clearly, you must be a man out of time or Sergeant Pepper!", but it still misses the mark very slightly, which is why I wouldn't put it up with While You Were Sleeping in my list of favourite soppy rom-coms.
If you hate scmaltz and point out all the plot holes, give this a miss. I liked it, but then I like anything of this genre, and Hugh Jackman just makes it watchable, no matter how bad the script is!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
I loved this movie, it's about the only (american) romantic comedy I can stand. I've even seen the original version which has Leopold as Stuart's great-grandfather, but they changed it.
eve6kicksass 14.12.2003 08:41
I agree with you completely....this was an ok but also an odd and unusual film. Chris xxx
franproc 05.07.2003 21:08
I thought this sounded pants - nothing but (the exceedingly droolworthy) Hugh Jackman to lighten things...but now I'm really not sure. I can't stand Meg Ryan, she very nearly missed being on my 10 least attractive celebs list cause she's so annoying, but a couple of hours with Hugh can't be bad....
Great review. xxxxx
On its theatrical release, James Mangold's romantic comedyKate&Leopoldwas rightly panned ... more
for holes in the logic of its time-travel plot. Stewart (Liev Schreiber) finds a portal to 1876 and goes to observe his ancestor Leopold, Duke of Albany (Hugh Jack...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Meg Ryan (You've Got Mail) and Hugh Jackman (X-Men) are paired as star-crossed lovers who ... more
discover that passion and chivalry never go out of style. When a rip in time brings together a charming 19th century bachelor and a 21st century woman, the potent...
On its theatrical release, James Mangold's romantic comedyKate&Leopoldwas rightly panned ... more
for holes in the logic of its time-travel plot. Stewart (Liev Schreiber) finds a portal to 1876 and goes to observe his ancestor Leopold, Duke of Albany (Hugh Jack...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Carried through time to modern-day Manhattan 18th century English aristocrat and inventor ... more
Leopold (Hugh Jackman) falls for independent and career-minded Kate (Meg Ryan). Initially skeptical of his royal charm she soon discovers that the Duke's power ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Nice little costume drama bit at the beginning (very short!) Disadvantages: Just too unconvincing, needs more eye candy to be a winner! (hartnett hartnett hartnett!)
loopylaura0 20.05.2005 (20.05.2005)
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Review of Kate And Leopold (DVD)
![Kate And Leopold [DVD] [2002]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78520056.jpg "Kate And Leopold [DVD] [2002]")
Apr 27th, 2003
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