Love and Other Disasters

I hate romantic comedies so I didn't see this movie until very recently. I watched it on the advice of a friend and it was a good choice: the movie is smart and really funny and I could not stop laughing through the whole movie (especially i liked Tallulah character and her hash brownies).

Can't call this movie outstanding but it's definitely worth watching for the brilliant dialogues, non-vulgar British humor and self-irony. And for the hot Brittany Murphy, of course. I'm surprised to see it's only rated 6.2 here.. Guess those who prefer "unsexy" American comedies like The Proposal (Sandra Bullock), The Ugly Truth, etc won't enjoy this movie.

Love (and Other Disasters) is not a typical romantic comedy, primarily as it pokes fun at the various aspects of the genre - predictable plot, grand romantic finale, happy coincidences etc. It is a light-hearted tongue in cheek movie that has all the spunk of a good romantic comedy with enough self-effacing genre-specific humor to keep it fresh and non-cloyingly sweet.

Other viewers have noted that Brittany Murphy is stiff and unbelievable, and that other characters are overly dramatic. But as the film draws attention to its very fictitious, theatrical nature, the characters fall into place as humorous fabricated, sensationalized versions of human nature in this light satire.

Also worth noting is the film's lovely approach towards homosexuality. Admittedly Peter's love life is a side-line plot, but what is shown has a ring of sincerity to it and avoids sensationalizing or stereotyping homosexual characters. While this movie is unlikely to win any Oscars, it is definitely one of the best romantic comedies I've seen.

I totally get if someone thinks this is the best romantic comedy ever .. but also if someone does not like this at all. It is making fun of itself and the cliches it uses ... the way it is cut (with characters commenting on Notting Hill ... but also on what is happening in the movie they are in ...as a byproduct).

That is either clever (overall that is what I'd call it) or can feel obnoxious and/or annoying. Totally up to you. But what you can't deny, is how well the actors in this take care of even little bumps along the road. Brittany Murphy was taken away way too early from us ... but at least she left us with many movies to love her in, like this one.

And she is needed considering the amount of disbelief you have to have ... so many moments that could have gone entirely wrong ... and still may feel that way to some. But she and her costars make them work ... how can you hate them, when they are so lovely, while entirely clueless? Just sit back, relax and enjoy.

I didn't laugh at all till at least half an hour in. I was expecting a full blown comedy. This is not it. At least not in the sense of a comedy which make you laugh and laugh and laugh. In total I laughed perhaps about 6-7 times. Not talking about full blown laughter either. So, if you want to laugh a lot, I wouldn't recommend this.

Having said that, this is a good movie. It is well produced, acted etc. The characters are like able and even the "villain" of the movie isn't a bad guy after all. It's a charming movie which just makes you want to keep watching. At least that's what happened with me. I wasn't laughing but I couldn't stop watching.

Mind you, it is a clever film. There is some very clever writing in there.

Do I recommend this movie? Absolutely. The main reason is what I mentioned earlier, this is so charming you just can't stop but liking it.

I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend. I picked the movie and my fiancé gave me some grief over it while we waited to go in, but he ended up loving it!! Brittany Murphy is very entertaining, and the entire cast is enthralling. This is a very cute and funny movie. It pokes fun at itself and the one-liners just keep coming. The cameo appearances by Orlando Bloom and Gwyneth Paltro are brief, so don't go just for the glimpse of a favorite actor/actress, but they do add the the appeal of the film. The entire theater was laughing throughout the movie. I rank this movie up with Love, Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral.