I've seen literally hundreds of romantic comedies and this one is my all-time favorite. The main reason is that our hero sets out on an outrageous and ballsy goal, and the movie carefully and cleverly shows how he might succeed.
Leo goes gaga when he first casts eyes on Collette. The fact that this happens at her wedding doesn't faze him. Nor does her obvious passion for her new husband Danny--a tall, handsome, rich lawyer who skied in the Olympics and founded a children's charity. Nor does Leo's own place in the world: a failed writer working as a dishwasher, and the butt of countless jokes from a widely successful blog, Why You Suck, written by his ex-wife.
"Granted, there are obstacles," Leo admits. But he's not afraid to try to win Collette's heart even if Danny is looking on. Fortunately Leo has a high tolerance for physical pain.
Leo's big challenge sets up the movie's challenge: Give Leo a credible chance in spite of the obstacles. So the remaining 80 minutes are packed with intelligent twists and turns that might help him see daylight. Practically every secondary character has a hand in pushing Leo either forwards or backwards on his rocky path.
Another reason the movie works is that Leo is a likable guy. He's witty, honest, uber-idealistic and surprisingly low-key for the size of the torch he's carrying. He elevates his humble job to an art form, even using a dishwashing machine for a quantum physics demonstration.
The film features a clever script and beautiful scenes of the Canadian Rockies. Will Sasso and Catherine O'Hara help provide light-hearted depth, and Rachel Portman predictably nails the score. Even the closing song was a perfect fit.
I'm sorry the movie's IMDb rating is much lower than I expected. Ironically, the point of the movie is that something that's wrong for others could be right for me.
Leo goes gaga when he first casts eyes on Collette. The fact that this happens at her wedding doesn't faze him. Nor does her obvious passion for her new husband Danny--a tall, handsome, rich lawyer who skied in the Olympics and founded a children's charity. Nor does Leo's own place in the world: a failed writer working as a dishwasher, and the butt of countless jokes from a widely successful blog, Why You Suck, written by his ex-wife.
"Granted, there are obstacles," Leo admits. But he's not afraid to try to win Collette's heart even if Danny is looking on. Fortunately Leo has a high tolerance for physical pain.
Leo's big challenge sets up the movie's challenge: Give Leo a credible chance in spite of the obstacles. So the remaining 80 minutes are packed with intelligent twists and turns that might help him see daylight. Practically every secondary character has a hand in pushing Leo either forwards or backwards on his rocky path.
Another reason the movie works is that Leo is a likable guy. He's witty, honest, uber-idealistic and surprisingly low-key for the size of the torch he's carrying. He elevates his humble job to an art form, even using a dishwashing machine for a quantum physics demonstration.
The film features a clever script and beautiful scenes of the Canadian Rockies. Will Sasso and Catherine O'Hara help provide light-hearted depth, and Rachel Portman predictably nails the score. Even the closing song was a perfect fit.
I'm sorry the movie's IMDb rating is much lower than I expected. Ironically, the point of the movie is that something that's wrong for others could be right for me.