I'm with Lucy

Monica Potter is tremendously appealing and talented and it's curious why she hasn't achieved the success she so obviously deserves. Could it be that she resembles and sounds like Julia Roberts? Since her performances don't exude ego, this viewer finds her more appealing and a better actress.

The film chronicles the dating adventures of Lucy and is framed by five significant dates over the period of a year. Within the initial glances of her first dates with five bachelors, it's revealed that Lucy is marrying -- but which one. There's some predictability -- you know which ones are a definite "no," but it maintains a credible element of mystery and guessing.

Julianne Nicholson, who plays Lucy's sister is completely charming and an actress to watch. This is also a must for fans of John Hannah who appears all too briefly.

Lucy is quite unsympathetic, messed up and a total nag. She has her moments, but I didn't understand nor did I believe that any of the men could be bothered dating here more than once except maybe for the sex. The script is ultra thin, making it one of those pictures that stands or falls with the performance of the lead. Lucy is played by Monica Potter, who couldn't make me care one iota about Lucy. She reminded me of all the spoiled, obnoxious girls you avoided like the plague in college. So what's left? Fine performances, well, more like cameos really, by LaPaglia, Hannah and Thomas and Julie Christie does a strange turn as a Jewish mother. Yes, that's right. Garcia Bernal and Boreanaz are wasted, especially Garcia Bernal. Pass on this one.

Self-doubting Lucy (Monica Potter) gets dumped by her 'perfect' boyfriend. She becomes depressed and her sister Jo (Julianne Nicholson) pushes her to date. Barry (Henry Thomas), Luke (David Boreanaz), Bobby (Anthony LaPaglia), Doug (John Hannah), and Gabriel (Gael García Bernal) are five of those men.

The structure of this film is interesting, inventive, and ultimately a failure. By chopping up the five relationships into a random roulette sequence, the tension is never allowed to build up. It doesn't help that Lucy is so different with each man and the effect becomes disjointing. That does lead to the second problem. Monica Potter is gorgeous and she's not this neurotic character. There could have some self doubt but this character's interior monologue is trying to be Woody Allen. Not to mention that her character changes from one date to the next. She's playing five or more characters. It's interesting to see her stretch her acting chops but it's still a problem. Overall, this has some fun and some intrigue. Mostly, it's disjointed and flat.

I bought this DVD because I am a huge fan of David Boreanaz and found it quite entertaining and a pleasant surprise. Monica Potter is a good actress but I didn't feel she was powerful enough for this film. The male actors were all very good and the idea behind the film was good but it lacked cohesion. David was, as always, excellent but as with the other actors, their potential characters were not explored enough. However it was a pleasant light-hearted little film which did not discredit any of the actors. However, unfortunately this is a film which will be seen by a limited audience. I think it would be a good made-for-TV movie rather than the cinema. As a David Boreanaz fan I would prefer him to have meatier roles than these pretty-boy roles he seems to have been offered. The man is an accomplished actor who can do action, romantic and tragic roles and I'd like to see him in more productive parts. Anthony LaPaglia as always was a joy to watch.

It looks like any other American romantic movies like those of Julia Roberts (Notting Hill) or Meg Ryan (you've got mail) but the story is a little bit original and we don't get lost at all! We expect the end but seeing this movie remains a time well-spent. Monica Potter deserves to be more famous. 7/10