Valentine’s Day (Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Shirley MacLaine, George Lopez, Emma Roberts) –The star-laden, intersecting-plot films enjoy a long history. Certainly, the original Ocean’s 11 and its three 21st century Clooney/Pitt/Damon resurrections are examples. Then, there were the catastrophe movies like The Towering Inferno. The best might have been the Oscar-winning Crash. Most of these were dramas although there were episodic comedies like Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite. In 2001, America’s Sweethearts brought together Billy Crystal, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack, Hank Azaria, and Christopher Walken in a fun film that critics hated. Almost everyone liked 2003’s Love Actually. The genre seemed dead until last year’s He’s Just Not That Into You, which failed to crack $100 million at the box office but made money. That brings us to Valentine’s Day, a transparent exploitation of the February faux holiday invented by Hallmark and the floral industry. Released for Valentine’s Day week, the movie broke Avatar’s stranglehold on #1 at the box office and will likely get to $100 million.
The film is Love Actually II (or III). And like most sequels, it is not as good as the original, but it’s very enjoyable largely due to having one of the best comedy directors ever, Garry Marshall. Marshall’s deft hand means there are lots of inside jokes, sure laughs, and just enough drama to keep your interest. Marshall has directed some of America’s best light films, like Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Frankie & Johnny, The Princess Diaries, Beaches, Overboard, and The Flamingo Kid. Julia Roberts, Hector Elizondo, and Anne Hathaway have been among his favorites with Roberts starring in two and Elizondo appearing in every movie he has ever directed in either a featured or cameo role. All three appear here. The beauty of the star-laden films is that it requires only a short commitment from the actors. They can come in and shoot for a week or less and get a nice paycheck. The danger of these films is that the movie has no center, too many stories, and thin characters. In lesser hands, Valentine’s Day would have degenerated into schlock, but it doesn’t … barely. The couples (some of whom make it and some don’t) in this love-struck film include Jennifer Garner-Patrick Dempsey, Jessica Alba-Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway-Topher Grace, Jessica Biel-Jamie Foxx, Shirley MacLaine-Hector Elizondo, Emma Roberts-Carter Jenkins and Taylor Smith-Taylor Lautner. The movie could have done without a couple of these. But the plots are easy to follow; the stars are mostly likable; and even lightweight actors Jennifer Garner and Iowa’s Ashton Kutcher are pretty good.
Just to prove what a chick flick this is, the reports have been that the audiences have been 70+ percent female, which was certainly true of the crowd in my theater. Lots of woman and a ton of young, giggling girls were appalled by the surprise romantic twist near the end. Maybe that will tease you just enough to go see Garry Marshall’s film before it leaves around April Fools’ Day.