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Kate is a chef consumed by her job. She's so obsessed by it that she has to see to even the tiniest details herself. But her world is turned upside down when her sister dies suddenly, leaving her to care for her niece - a job she's entirely unprepared for. Things are further complicated by the new sous-chef whose exuberance shatters the peace of her orderly kitchen.
I think this movie has been mis-marketed. Having watched the trailer I thought I was in for a romantic comedy, but if that's the case, someone should tell director Scott Hicks he's forgotten the jokes. Or perhaps it's because his comic timing is dreadful. He draws out simple gags so they simply aren't funny. For instance, in the opening sequence where we hear Kate speaking in voice-over narration about the perfect way to prepare quail, only for it to turn out that she's talking to her therapist. I suppose it doesn't help that his leading lady is similarly handicapped in the comedy stakes - Catherine Zeta Jones is frequently outdone by child actress Abigail Breslin. Hicks is also guilty of over-egging the sentiment, frequently making scenes too syrupy. I know Zoe has lost her mother, but after the third of fourth time we see her welling up, it feels like the director is trying to push our buttons.
Hicks fails to build the relationships between characters in a meaningful way. We don't see how close Kate is to her sister before she dies, so there's no real emotional fallout from her death for the viewer. We don't see how hard it is for Zoe or Kate to adapt to life with the other or any of the minutiae of daily life that shows how their routines have changed.
Most of the getting-to-know-you phases of all the relationships are covered in twee little montages that rob them of emotional depth, as does Hicks' habit of jump cutting scenes. It makes it feel like he has a short attention span. In spite of the montages, the narrative feels plodding, probably because you always know you're on track to a mawkish happy ending. You can predict every meaningful look, kiss and argument. The visuals may be shiny but they don't distract from the lack of story or the director's saccharine treatment of the subject. So overall this is a predictable and sickly hundred and five minutes.
The screenplay by Carol Fuchs is a rehash of German film "Mostly Martha". Assuming the original was as predictable as this version, I wonder why Fuchs bothered. It's a deeply formulaic piece of writing. The characterisation is extremely predictable. Kate is an uptight, obsessive perfectionist and control freak without any friends. So it stands to reason that Nick is her polar opposite; relaxed, loud, boisterous, messy and popular. And of course the only person that can bring them together is Kate's cutesy but serious niece, still in mourning for her mother. But the romance between seems forced - there's no real reason for them to get together. In fact their whole affair appears to be based on Nick's ability to anticipate Zoe's needs better. The inevitable thawing of relationships between the two is utterly contrived. It only occurs to satisfy the requirements of the romantic comedy genre. Similarly you know the two will fall out through professional jealousies and it will take a crisis with Zoe to bring them back together.
The problem is that neither the story nor the characters have any depth, so they never ring true. Every player feels like a plot device that exists solely to service the needs of the genre, even the leads, but particularly the supporting characters like Kate's boss Paula, who is only there to cause dissent. But considering this is a romantic comedy, there are precious few gags to be had - Kate's visits to her therapist are too drawn out and there aren't enough throwaway jokes. The dialogue isn't sharp enough to be funny or insightful, so generally feels bland.
There's a reason you don't see Catherine Zeta-Jones in comedies. She doesn't have the requisite timing. She's badly miscast as Kate, seeming to think that pursing her lips is enough to make her appear an obsessive compulsive control freak. But she's too distant, solemn and humourless for you to actually care about her or want her to fall madly in love and live happily ever after. The lack of chemistry between her and Aaron Eckhart also makes a mockery of their on-screen romance. I suppose at least she sustains a vague US accent for the duration.
The more I see of Aaron Eckhart, the more convinced I become that his bravura performance in "Thank You for Smoking" was a fluke. The easy charm that characterised that performance has since deserted him, leading to a series of pale imitations that don't work because he's trying too hard. The same is true of Nick, who should be a relaxed and amiable counterpoint to Kate's intractable professionalism. But he's putting too much into it so it feels forced and his dearth of chemistry with his on-screen love interest puts the final nail in the coffin.
Abigail Breslin shows the adults how it's done as Kate's niece Zoe. She's the only cast member that really commits to her performance. She stays away from stage school teeth-and-eyes acting, giving a strong, internalised performance as the bereaved child. You can tell there's something going on behind the quiet demeanour. Her worried looks and the way she takes everything so seriously add depth to the part. Patricia Clarkson is wasted as Kate and Nick's boss Paula. She's firm but opinionated but never gets the chance to show what she can do. Bob Balaban is similarly short-changed by the script as Zeta-Jones' therapist. He pulls out another of his trademark droll turns, but is never given the chance to grow the character.
The original score by Philip Glass shows he can be restrained and playful in his arrangements. For once his music doesn't feel self-important and he doesn't smother scenes with his pomp. The opening arrangements comprise playful woodwinds and strings that suit the frothy subject matter. His chiming piano and strutting strings reflect the order Kate requires in her kitchen, though Glass then undermines himself by turning them syrupy. He employs syncopated piano motifs that resemble a heartbeat for her bedside vigil, which becomes steadily darker as it progresses. He tends towards the mawkish with sad piano and flute sections that seems a calculated attempt to push our emotional buttons. The most effective use of music comes with the jazzy brass and frantic themes for when Nick and Zoe are making pizza. It's a shame the rest of the soundtrack doesn't match up, with Michael Bublé's version of "Sway", refrains of "S'Wonderful" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" sitting at odds with Glass' solid groundwork.
"No Reservations" is a syrupy chick flick that will appeal if you like its leads and want to know from the opening moments that everything will turn out right in the end. Sadly the direction and writing are too predictable for those that require emotional depth or, God forbid, a few surprises. The stars are hampered by a lack of chemistry and a reliance on tics and tricks to get them through the film. At best this is a Sunday afternoon film to watch on TV when there's nothing else on. At worst it is a deeply derivative and unoriginal pile of clichés that fails to engage on an emotional level. Only watch it if you've completely run out of things to do.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Feb 12th, 2008
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