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The bright, glossy world of Doris Day and Rock Hudson sex comedies gets a self-aware brush-up inDown with Love. Pillow-lipped Renée Zellweger (Chicago) plays Barbara Novak, the author of a bestselling book calledDown with Lovethat advises women to focus on their careers and have sexà la carte--just like a man would. Determined to prove that Novak is just as vulnerable to love as any woman, dashingly chauvinist magazine writer Catcher Block (ever-charming Ewan McGregor,Moulin Rouge) pretends to be a courtly astronaut who wouldn't dream of putting his hand on a woman's knee. This piffle of a story seems like nothing more than an excuse for ironic double-entendres and dazzling production design, until a sneaky plot twist suddenly raises the stakes for the movie's end. As he always does, the brilliant David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) scores the most comic points as Block's fussy editor.--Bret Fetzer
Women are Evil; So are Men This is a romantic comedy done just a few years ago but done in the style of those from the sixties. This is more often attempted than achieved but this one achieves it. It capitalizes on what passed for risqué back then and pushes the envelope just a tad further. It is done with style and good taste which is really the only way the battle of the sexes can be portrayed well. More, it actually does capture the feel of the time in the same way that Hollywood did back then. It is surreal and appropriate to the film.
The story involves a womanizing man who writes for a New York magazine and an up and coming woman who has just written a hit book promoting free love for women. Early on, he manages to hack her off which does not bother him because he assumes she is a plain spinster. When he finally catches a glimpse of her, his hormones are thoroughly enraged. By then, it would seem that he has burned all his bridges. It gets worse for him when all of his regular girls get on the "Down with Love" bandwagon. Then he plots revenge.
He is convinced that he can pose as a different person and make her fall in love with him. That will give him the ammunition to write an article exposing her as a fraud. His plan seems to be going well but she has her own ulterior motives.
This really is a fun piece. It bring back memories. Having Tony Randall put in an appearance just strengthened the sense of nostalgia.
Not for the casual moviegoer It's 1962 New York. Barbara Novak (Renee Zellweger) has written a book called "Down With Love" convincing woman that they don't need a man or love or sex to succeed and be happy with themselves. Womanizer Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) is determined to prove her wrong. This is many things--an affectionate remake of those silly Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies; a sweet sendup of them at the same time; a perfect example of 1960s sex comedies with a 2000s twist; a huge barrel of laughs for film buffs with its perfect remake of a 1960s film and an examination of sexual mores and stereotypes of the 1960s. The movie look like a Day/Hudson movie right down to the fashions Zellweger wears, the VERY colorful sets, the obviously painted backdrops from penthouse apartments and the crappy back projection in cars. There's also a hysterical (and very dirty) use of split screen during a phone conversation between Zellweger and McGregor. The movie even opens with the old Cinemascope logo used in films of that era! The cast is right on target--Zellweger and McGregor give their all to the performances--they wink at the audience all the time...but not TOO much. David Hyde Pierce (doing Tony Randall) and Sarah Paulson are also very funny with the dreaded best friends role. The only real problem is the script. It is sharp and funny bit occasionally bogs down and some of the twists are too obvious. Still, I enjoyed it. The casual moviegoer will probably hate this--unless you get the inside jokes all throughout the film you'll think you're watching a badly dated sex comedy. But it's not--it's a parody and an affectionate sendup. This will be most appreciated by film buffs or students. This is the best frickin movie EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the absolute coolest movie ever. Not only is it very funny, but it has an amazing plot and surprise ending. Renee Zellweger is sexy. Caroline thinks ewan McGregor is hot and she loves to lick his wart. I highly recommend this brilliantly scripted movie to anyone, guys or ladies!
