7/10
Unlikely predictability can be fun
17 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, as others have said already: this film is utterly predictable. The script combines two popular comedy plots: that of a romantic comedy and that of a secret double life. It's not even a new idea to combine those two plots; that's also been done many times before. But the special thing about this film is that it doesn't try to deviate from the standard development of either plot, not even to make the story more realistic. That gives an extremely predictable development of events, but ironically, at the same time a highly unlikely one (in real life). It's this irony that gives the film its comic character.

Especially, this becomes clear in its end development. According to the standard format of the romantic comedy, the boy should get the girl in the end. The secret-double-life plot dictates that the secret should be revealed in a climax toward the end. And because all three characters are 'good guys', they all must win. And the ending must be happy. That all logically means that both guys should get the girl, and should be happy with that. How do you solve that? The scriptwriters Bohlinger and van Hoeve came up for a solution for this, without straying from the standard format, and this results in a pretty absurd ending. That is in itself not so predictable, and is quite comical.

In this sense, you could even say that this film is a parody of predictable romantic comedies (although Bohlinger and van Hoeve probably didn't mean it a as such), showing the absurd result when you take the standard format to extremes. And as such, it's quite fun to watch.

The only trouble I have with the film is that the characters, and their developments, could be stronger. I'd like to see Anna struggle more, not only trying not to fall in love, but also trying to show a different self than she is. Sander's interaction with Susan looks genuine, but that with Anna doesn't, and I would like to see more of his happiness when Anna saves him from his depression. And Rob seems courageous, but I don't really see the womanizer who is changing his ways. I know that many people in real life don't show those characters so clearly, and in this sense it may be realistic. But that's not what you want to see in a film.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed