Movie Review by EDF
Starring: Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson, Frances O’Connor
Director: Gerard Stembridge
Ever wonder what would happen when the right man comes along and not only does he seem right, he’s also perfect? Here’s a lighthearted comedy about the start of a relationship and its consequences.
It starts off with Lucy Owen (Kate Hudson), a waitress and sometimes singer at a trendy Dublin cafe. Lucy has man problems; she cannot seem to pick the right one. Bored with seeing the same faces in the cafe every night, Lucy spots a new face, Owen (Stuart Townsend). She heads straight for his table and even though he doesn’t come onto her, Lucy finds herself asking him out for a date. Lucy leaves numerous messages on his answering service and when he returns her calls, she nervously agrees for him to pick her up at her house. Looking forward to meeting her new fella, Lucy’s mother, Peggy (Rosaleen Linehan) buys a cake for the occasion. The rest of Lucy’s family also conveniently turns up at the house just before Adam arrives.
Adam is invited in to meet the family and although he seems to be a bit shy, fits right in with the Owens. Laura (Frances O’Connor), the bookish middle sister, finds out that Adam likes the same poets and poetry as her, especially one poem titled Laura. He tells Laura that the name Laura is one of his favorite names. Laura becomes fascinated with him and starts to feel funny anytime he’s around.
Meanwhile Lucy is blindfolded by Adam and treated to a surprise romantic weekend at a country hotel. Now the L word pops up in Kate’s vocabulary. Lucy’s eldest sister, Alice (Charlotte Bradley), compares her disappointing husband, Martin (Brendan Dempsey) to Adam and really sees no contest. She begins to wonder if Adam is all that. When Adam starts paying compIiments to her, Alice gets more curious.
They all go out together to the cafe to celebrate Peggy’s birthday and after one of her musical performances on stage, Lucy asks Adam, in front of the whole cafe, if Adam would marry her. Adam accepts but why are Laura crying and Alice laughing?
Looking for tips to where he’s going wrong, Lucy’s only brother David (Alan Maher), asks Adam for some advice to woo his steady girlfriend Karen (Cathleen Bradley) to the next level of their relationship. Adam comes up with a plan but when it goes wrong, David feels Adam has betrayed him. He also starts to question his own sexuality.
We have to be thankful that writer/director Gerard Stembridge uses the natural buzz of everyday Dublin as the backdrop to this movie and not the stereotypical dreary, ‘take pity on us’ settings of most movies. Due to the refreshing look, this keeps the lighthearted feel to the movie. The casting of Kate Hudson, an American, is questionable but also the casting of Australian Frances O’Connor is actually a revelation as her character is the most intriguing and the funniest. Best of all is Stuart Townsend’s performance as he melts the hearts of everyone around him with ease and convinces them of his sincerity.
Not an all-time classic but at least this movie should lift your spirits up for a little while.
