This is more romance than comedy (except Don's scenes and a few other instances). It's a real surprise from Norton the director and Jenna Elfman the actress. Very touching, charming and generally light-hearted. Wonderful filming, great issues discussed sensitively (friendship, different religions, calling, dedication, love, commitment).
Memorable characters: all the three main ones and especially, especially Anna - what a big presence she is with her humor and sheer joy of life! Now, the weak spot of the story is in the fact that the ending was predictable if the Catholic priest was to remain one and would not betray his calling. How convenient, isn't it? And how sad, when you think about it. The scene with Brian realizing that he has been just a third wheel is so touching, almost to tears, for me at least. This is so unfair! Is it believable that a man who was in love with such a wonderful girl gives up his love so easily? Or that she has been playing on the edge of male-female friendship so unconscious of the "danger" of the love which could arise and so cynically hide her affair from her friend? No, man. The solution in the ending is too correct to be realistic, just in order not to trouble things and please everybody (well, almost everybody or at least apparently).
Oh, and why does Hollywood always end its stories in front of an "audience" to the main characters? What a cliché... If they had left this one unsolved, it would have turned into a really great film. Of course, Jake and Brian would and should have remained friends after their argument, but what would happen about Anna? The movie should have ended at that point and let us guess, each according to his sense.
One more observation. The star here is Jenna. Besides "Ed TV", she has proved she could act, and this character fits her perfectly. She should get more roles like this one or like the wacky, mysterious babe from two episodes of "Two and a half men". Her other roles are far below her comedic talent and not stimulating for her career. Perhaps the dramatic one in "Touched" (2005)?...
Memorable characters: all the three main ones and especially, especially Anna - what a big presence she is with her humor and sheer joy of life! Now, the weak spot of the story is in the fact that the ending was predictable if the Catholic priest was to remain one and would not betray his calling. How convenient, isn't it? And how sad, when you think about it. The scene with Brian realizing that he has been just a third wheel is so touching, almost to tears, for me at least. This is so unfair! Is it believable that a man who was in love with such a wonderful girl gives up his love so easily? Or that she has been playing on the edge of male-female friendship so unconscious of the "danger" of the love which could arise and so cynically hide her affair from her friend? No, man. The solution in the ending is too correct to be realistic, just in order not to trouble things and please everybody (well, almost everybody or at least apparently).
Oh, and why does Hollywood always end its stories in front of an "audience" to the main characters? What a cliché... If they had left this one unsolved, it would have turned into a really great film. Of course, Jake and Brian would and should have remained friends after their argument, but what would happen about Anna? The movie should have ended at that point and let us guess, each according to his sense.
One more observation. The star here is Jenna. Besides "Ed TV", she has proved she could act, and this character fits her perfectly. She should get more roles like this one or like the wacky, mysterious babe from two episodes of "Two and a half men". Her other roles are far below her comedic talent and not stimulating for her career. Perhaps the dramatic one in "Touched" (2005)?...