The Accidental Husband

We all agreed that this was not a very good movie. Romantic comedies are always a bit tricky, as they have to please both men and women. But I'm afraid this was just too lightweight to please any of them. And it's easy to see why.

First of all, Uma Thurman is not the best choice for a leading lady in a romcom. She is much better as a kick-ass killer (see Kill Bill) or a sexy femme fatale (Pulp Fiction). Furthermore, her character is not very likeable, she is neurotic, selfish, egocentric and a bit of a bore. To make matters worse, it seems the leading man falls in love with her because she knows how to play pool and drink beer...hardly very good reason, wouldn't you agree?

Secondly, her love-interest (role by Jeffrey Dean Morgan as a fire-fighter) is not very convincing either. He's actually a pretty nasty guy, if you ask me. I mean, what's wrong with Colin Firth? If I were a woman I'd rather chose him. Frankly he was the only one who truly loved the Uma Thurman character. Jeffrey is a TV-actor (Grey's Anatomy) and he really didn't have the same comedy power as for example Ben Stiller. I still think Something About Mary is the ultimate romantic comedy.

Thirdly, the story is unbelievable and too far fetched. Without giving away too much of the story, some Indian kid hacking a federal computer is too easy as a story line.

And finally, it's sad to see so many good actors being wasted: Colin Firth, Isabella Rossellini, Sam Shepard...

Sorry folks, try to find yourself a better comedy, i'm sure there are plenty out there.

Quotes from the Accidental Husband

Patrick: [with a mouth full of sample wedding cake] This cake is fantastic!
Emma: Shh. Please...
Patrick: You mix these two together, it tastes just like a ring-ding.
Emma: [Patrick shoves a fork of cake in her face] No. No, no.
Patrick: Ah!
Emma: No.
Patrick: Ah!
Emma: [she accepts the forkful of cake] it was yummy.
Patrick: It's super-duper.

Emma Lloyd has made a career out of her sensible, mature and responsible approach to relationships. She has a hit radio talk show, an impending book deal, and a loving relationship with her fiancé, Richard, a conventional sort-which is precisely what Emma is drawn to. Then Emma finds out that she is already married to a man she's never met before, a result of a misguided prank that leaves her bewildered and very confused. Worse than that, her plans for the future are now threatened. With her wedding just around the corner, Emma must find the mystery man and obtain an annulment. Emma tracks down her "accidental husband" - Patrick, a charming and handsome neighborhood fireman, with a big secret...

In Bruges

In Bruges is a very funny dark comedy that uses the setting of Bruges perfectly. A romantic (yet dead) city crawling with tourists is the perfect place to put two opposite characters against each other. The surreal events (dwarfs, prostitutes, drug dealers and murderers) result in a fun mix of comedy, drama, and suspense. I can imagine this is not everybody's cup of tea, but i give it 3,5 stars

Quote from In Bruges:

Chlo: There's never been a classic movie made in Bruges until now.
Ray: Of course there hasn't. It's a shithole.
Chlo: Bruges is my home town, Ray.
Ray: Well, it's still a shithole.
Chlo: It's not a shithole!
Ray: What? Even midgets have to take drugs to stick it.
Chlo: Okay. So, you've insulted my home town. You were doing really well, Raymond. Why don't you tell me some Belgium jokes while you're at it?
Ray: Don't know any Belgium jokes, and if I did I think I'd have the good sense not to... hang on. Is Belgium with all those child abuse murders lately? I do know a Belgium joke. What's Belgium famous for? Chocolates and child abuse, and they only invented the chocolates to get to the kids.
[Ray sees Chloe's shocked expression]
Ray: What?
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered was a friend of mine.
Ray: [after a long pause, feeling bad] I'm sorry, Chloe.
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered wasn't a friend of mine. I just wanted to make you feel bad. And it worked! Quite well.

Bruges, the most well-preserved medieval city in the whole of Belgium, is a welcoming destination for travellers from all over the world. But for hit men Ray and Ken, it could be their final destination; a difficult job has resulted in the pair being ordered right before Christmas by their London boss Harry to go and cool their heels in the storybook Flemish city for a couple of weeks. Very much out of place amidst the gothic architecture, canals, and cobbled streets, the two hit men fill their days living the lives of tourists. Ray, still haunted by the bloodshed in London, hates the place, while Ken, even as he keeps a fatherly eye on Ray's often profanely funny exploits, finds his mind and soul being expanded by the beauty and serenity of the city

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I had read some good reviews about this movie and since there were no other films that looked interesting, I suggested our BeWelcome Monday Movie group to check "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" out. This movie is Nicholas Stoller's debut and will appeal to those folks who like romantic comedies like "Something about Mary", "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "The Heartbreak Kid". It is a typical American comedy, which means that the main character falls in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, gets dumped, and find true love with an even prettier girl :)

You get some raunchy humour, some slapstick, funny British accents, misunderstandings and a happy end. What more do you expect from such a movie? Nothing, exactly, so no need to be disappointed. The best scenes evolve around the excentric rock singer Aldous Snow, a great by Russel Brand.
It struck me that I didn't know any of the actors. Apparently they all play in American TV-shows like "That 70's Show", "CSI" and "Veronica Mars".

Do you know these series?