I am a 28 year old professional male I seem to mostly review films and I try to ensure that my revie...
I am a 28 year old professional male I seem to mostly review films and I try to ensure that my reviews are concise and to the point. Who wants to read a lot of waffle that so often scores the exceptionals on here?
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This film is a romantic comedy directed by Michael Lehmann. The plot involves a romantic triangle that emerges as a result of confusion over identities.
Ben Chaplin plays Brian; a photographer who calls his local radio station after attaching roller-skates to his dog. He speaks to Abby, played by Janeane Garofalo, who manages to help him to placate the upset dog and remove the roller-skates. Ben is grateful for her assistance he offers to take her out for a drink, she agrees and he then asks her how he will recognise her. Although Abby is short and brunette, she describes herself as tall and blonde. This description perfectly matches her neighbour Noelle (played by Uma Thurman), who is a model and wannabe actress.
The women are very different. Noelle is attractive although she is rather something of an airhead. Her boyfriend is an abusive agent who she remains, this is despite that fact
that her appearance is said to literally stop traffic. Abby is a sassy, successful and intelligent women however she is single and possibly lonely. They become friends after Abby intervenes in an argument between Noelle and her boyfriend.
All of the characters have differing insecurities. Noelle is concerned about her intelligence and dreams of being a success. Abby is successful and intelligent, but is worried about her appearance. The women’s strengths and weaknesses seem to complement each other. Brian seems to lack confidence around women
Abby manages to persuade her Noelle to pretend to be her. Brian meets up with Noelle and, unsurprisingly, he is physically attracted to her. He does not realise that she is not the woman he has spoken to before. Brian continues to meet up with Noelle, and Abby is often dragged along as a friend of Noelle, and they manage to form a friendly group.
While Brian continues to date Noelle, he also engages in a seven-hour phone conversation with the real Abby. This is concluded with him having phone sex with her. Following this conversation Abby feels increasingly drawn towards Brian, however she is unable to admit that she is not who he thinks she is. Matters become further complicated as Brian and Noelle become increasingly close. Brian meanwhile is confused as to why the women he is dating seems to be much more together on the radio or telephone than in real life.
The two women find it increasingly difficult to maintain the charade and their mutual affections for Brian begin to place strain on their friendship. Eventually Abby is forced to reveal who she is to Brian, who then is forced to choose the two women. The question is will he go for brains or beauty?
The central premise of the film seems to be that beauty is more than skin deep. However the choice of Janeane Garofalo as the lead character is interesting as although she is insecure about her looks, she is far from unattractive. This is presumably to emphasis that her insecurity about her looks is unfounded. Moreover Uma Thurman’s character often seems to be dressed and made-up in a manner that makes her appear less attractive than in her other film’s(still she isn't too bad!) The film appears to be highlighting the fact that attractive women can be made to feel insecure due to the societal pressures to confirm to a stereotypical image.
The performances of the actors are all very good. The three main characters have virtually all of the lines. The film itself is seems to move along at a reasonable pace, with the notable exception of a photographic shoot at the studio, which is rather slow and drawn out. The comedy element mostly consists of one liners delivered by Janeane Garofalo.
The central premise of the plot is a little bit hard to believe. It is improbable that a relatively intelligent man could fail to realise that the women he has spoken to extensively on the phone is a different person to the one he is dating. Moreover both of the female characters lie to him and he seems a little too willing to forgive and forget. Despite these criticisms it is worth watching, the film is entertaining and the quality of the acting is good. Still I would wait until it reaches your television screens!
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Apr 11th, 2005
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