I was disappointed to say the least. This movie has me torn. While its execution was fairly precise, I felt cheated. The 'twist' at the end pretty much negates the entire movie, tag-line, poster and advertising and is basically telling you that the movie you came in expecting to see does not exist. In fact the actual story is a good deal shorter and simpler and really not much of a movie at all as it could be told in about twenty minutes.
This is what the films website says it's about:
'Jesse (Alyssa Milano,) is a sassy, intelligent woman who has yet to find "Mr. Right"—until she bumps into Ethan (Christopher Gorham), a writer pushed to the edge of despair after having another novel rejected by publishers. For Jesse, the encounter offers more than a chance to inspire the artist in Ethan again. It also opens a new, romantic chapter in her life... with one huge complication. Moments after meeting the perfect guy for her, Jesse meets Mr. Perfect— Troy (Michael Landes) a confident and successful advertising executive who makes almost every moment elegant and romantic. Soon Jesse is in over her head and grappling with the ultimate romantic paradox: what does a girl do when she meets "Mr. Right" after already meeting the right guy?'
Except that its not.
From the get go the film gives you a GIANT clue as to what is going on, and if you get it, well then you spend pretty much the entire movie bored, as you know that half of what you're watching is not real and thus there is no conflict at all except the one the love interest Jesse (Alyssa Milano) creates for herself. Now let me explain why I called Jesse the love interest. The film is not about her, contrary to all the posters and the trailer and the tag-line the film is about a writer who keeps inserting himself into his stories, which makes them unappealing because no one wants to read about a normal guy struggling for his art. With no belief in himself he is on the cusp of giving up and selling out when he meets a girl who so wholeheartedly believes in him and his talent it makes him believe in himself. He is so inspired by her that he inserts her into his story instead, this proves more popular and lo and behold he garners success and belief in himself and his writing. He also has to rescue the girl from her own personal demons and show her that his love for her will overcome anything. That's the movie I saw. To be honest that movie is not bad. I don't understand why it had to be squashed by this silly made up 'Girl can't choose between two guys' nonsense which isn't the movie, the movie even tells you itself that it isn't the movie, it never really tries that hard to convince you that you're watching a girl torn between two guys. I mean if you're trying to convince me that this girl is dating two great guys then maybe make the other guy less of a cardboard cut-out. Maybe give their relationship some personality, maybe have him interact with at least one other person in Jesse's life. Now this is all excusable if you take it from the point of view that he isn't real. But if he isn't real then why bother? The misdirection feels pathetic , unconvincing and pointless. Hey Daryn Tufts, why are you trying to convince I'm watching a different movie than I am actually watching? It feels like a someone was trying (and failing) to trick me, that just makes the actual story, the one that was trying to be told, redundant, because now none of it means anything and I just wasted an hour and twenty minutes rolling my eyes.
I gave the film a four because despite the terrible script and story the performances weren't bad given what they had to work with. Christopher Gorham is charming as hell and Alyssa Milano brings a sweetness to Jesse, though I find her performance a little flat. Tom Lenk's little storyline is actually quite funny and he is amusing in it. Everybody else is kinda nondescript and their roles really could have been played by anybody, such is their lack of anything resembling character or personality. I feel the most sorry for Michael Landes but eh, never rated him much anyway.
This is what the films website says it's about:
'Jesse (Alyssa Milano,) is a sassy, intelligent woman who has yet to find "Mr. Right"—until she bumps into Ethan (Christopher Gorham), a writer pushed to the edge of despair after having another novel rejected by publishers. For Jesse, the encounter offers more than a chance to inspire the artist in Ethan again. It also opens a new, romantic chapter in her life... with one huge complication. Moments after meeting the perfect guy for her, Jesse meets Mr. Perfect— Troy (Michael Landes) a confident and successful advertising executive who makes almost every moment elegant and romantic. Soon Jesse is in over her head and grappling with the ultimate romantic paradox: what does a girl do when she meets "Mr. Right" after already meeting the right guy?'
Except that its not.
From the get go the film gives you a GIANT clue as to what is going on, and if you get it, well then you spend pretty much the entire movie bored, as you know that half of what you're watching is not real and thus there is no conflict at all except the one the love interest Jesse (Alyssa Milano) creates for herself. Now let me explain why I called Jesse the love interest. The film is not about her, contrary to all the posters and the trailer and the tag-line the film is about a writer who keeps inserting himself into his stories, which makes them unappealing because no one wants to read about a normal guy struggling for his art. With no belief in himself he is on the cusp of giving up and selling out when he meets a girl who so wholeheartedly believes in him and his talent it makes him believe in himself. He is so inspired by her that he inserts her into his story instead, this proves more popular and lo and behold he garners success and belief in himself and his writing. He also has to rescue the girl from her own personal demons and show her that his love for her will overcome anything. That's the movie I saw. To be honest that movie is not bad. I don't understand why it had to be squashed by this silly made up 'Girl can't choose between two guys' nonsense which isn't the movie, the movie even tells you itself that it isn't the movie, it never really tries that hard to convince you that you're watching a girl torn between two guys. I mean if you're trying to convince me that this girl is dating two great guys then maybe make the other guy less of a cardboard cut-out. Maybe give their relationship some personality, maybe have him interact with at least one other person in Jesse's life. Now this is all excusable if you take it from the point of view that he isn't real. But if he isn't real then why bother? The misdirection feels pathetic , unconvincing and pointless. Hey Daryn Tufts, why are you trying to convince I'm watching a different movie than I am actually watching? It feels like a someone was trying (and failing) to trick me, that just makes the actual story, the one that was trying to be told, redundant, because now none of it means anything and I just wasted an hour and twenty minutes rolling my eyes.
I gave the film a four because despite the terrible script and story the performances weren't bad given what they had to work with. Christopher Gorham is charming as hell and Alyssa Milano brings a sweetness to Jesse, though I find her performance a little flat. Tom Lenk's little storyline is actually quite funny and he is amusing in it. Everybody else is kinda nondescript and their roles really could have been played by anybody, such is their lack of anything resembling character or personality. I feel the most sorry for Michael Landes but eh, never rated him much anyway.