Think back.
Fifteen years back.
Is it coming to you?
Okay, here's a hint:
Is it just me, or has Hollywood moved from remakes to just blatantly reusing ideas and trying to make them seem original? I mean, yes, I get it, every rom-com has the pretty much the same formula- if they didn't, people wouldn't go see them. However, if there is a storyline that already happened that
1) had better actors
2) had a more believable plotline, and
3) hadn't already been done,
you probably should just think of another movie to make. Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen- the least you can do is think of something original. Why do you think Knocked Up was so immensely popular?
Now, I don't know about you, but I respect Amy Adams. I really think she is a genuinely good actor. It makes me sad to see her in something like this, which just looks, well, bad. However, as the Movie Mistress, I don't discriminate and will try to see every movie that I can and give it a fair shot. But hear me out here as I explain why this movie will most likely fail and why French Kiss worked:
Leap Year takes place (I'm assuming) currently. So when Amy Adams' BF tells her he's going abroad for a while, because we live in a modern world, you would think that the most logical thing for her to do is to buy him an international cell phone. We have Facebook! We have video chat! We are globalized. This is not our parents' long distance relationship, people. We are liberated.
Instead, however, she decides she's so desperate to be engaged and so afraid he'll leave her while abroad ("if you like it then you should have put a ring on it!") that she goes to propose to him herself. As if women can ONLY propose to men on Leap Year. Any other time? Nope. Sorry. Tough luck. Women, equal to men? Pshhh. Preposterous! Proposing is a man's job, like working and voting. At least, according to dear old Hollywood.
French Kiss, on the other hand, took place in 1995. So it was pretty believable that when Meg Ryan's fiance called her, she would have no way of ever getting in touch with him unless she traveled to Paris herself and visited his hotel. Plus, she had way more motivation to travel there- some French chick stole her man! What reason did Amy Adams have to go? Oh right. If she didn't, he might NEVER propose and then she would be shamed by reaching thirty without a ring! Horrors.
And the troubles Meg faced- pickpockets, U.S. embassy nightmares, were completely legit, unlike plugging in a blackberry and shutting down power for an entire town (as Amy Adams apparently does)- which, by the way, happens in another romantic comedy called Just Married. Remember that one? Also familiar. Like I said, we are in a modern world, and I'm pretty sure that even in northern UK they are equipped with technology. Globalization is a beautiful thing.
I'll probably see this movie. If I remember to, since it doesn't come out until June. But judging by the fact that the trailer is coming out now, my bet is that it will be a straight to video. So maybe I'll pick it up there. Buuuut I might just get French Kiss instead.
Peace!
The Movie Mistress
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