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Cast:
Ashley Judd...............Jane Goodale
Greg Kinnear..............Ray Brown
Hugh Jackman..............Eddie Alden
Ellen Barkin..............Diane
LeAnna Croom..............Rebecca
Marisa Tomei..............Liz
Directed
by: Tony Goldwyn Written by: Elizabeth Chandler Based on the
novel by Laura Zigman
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One
cannot be both jaded and sweet at the same time. While a seemingly
obvious notion, the new romantic comedy "Someone Like You"
appears unable to grasp it. The movie wants so desperately
to be cute and good-natured, which wouldn't have been a problem
if the source material weren't so cynical.
The
film isn't aided by its own satiable self-indulgence in oversimplifying
its message ... that virtually no member of the male gender
is faithful or decent. The main character spends so much time
whining and crying and griping and complaining and moaning
yet the movie never aspires to be anything more than the pretentious
sum of its jaded parts. The film would rather vent its frustration
than take the time to actually be about something.
The
engaging Ashley Judd plays Jane Goodale, a successful television
producer for a highly-rated talk show. Jane approaches romantic
relationships in a stupifyingly juvenile manner, placing those
she falls for atop the most ostentatious of pedestals then
unleashing numbingly whiny diatribes when they don't measure
up. She falls for Ray Brown (Greg Kinnear), the show's new
executive producer. They made plans to move in together, but
Ray soon dumps her without reason, leaving her heartbroken
and without a home. With nowhere else to go, she decides to
take refuge in the apartment of Eddie Alden (Hugh Jackman),
her womanizing co-producer.
Desperate
to find the reason behind being dumped, Jane begins to study
the mating rituals of cows. (Ah, of course.) Her dimwitted
analogy soon catches the attention of her best friend Liz
(Marisa Tomei), an editor for a local magazine. Liz convinces
Jane to write a column on the subject, albeit under an assumed
name. Soon the column inexplicably gains nationwide attention.
I've
heard many complaints from colleagues who angrily accuse the
movie of blatant male-bashing. What my friends need to realize
is that the idea of male-bashing is insulting to both men
and women, operating under the assumption that the key to
a woman's happiness is dependent solely on the love of a man.
To accuse the film of male-bashing would be giving it double
the credit it deserves ... it treats both sexes equally poorly.
One
is tempted to blame director Tony Goldwyn for this mess, although
I don't think it's completely his fault; his biggest mistake
was not waiting for a better script to come along. Elizabeth
Chandler's screenplay is based upon the novel "Animal Husbandry"
by Laura Zigman. I have not read it, nor do I possess the
desire. There is absolutely no substance nor wit to the movie,
just the pretentious gripings of someone at a sad point in
their life.
Only
the presence of the very likable Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman
make the movie watchable, despite having to listen to Judd's
voiced narration explaining her theory as we witness farm
animals mating. Oh, how I would have loved to have seen Babe
the talking pig stick its face into the frame and say, "Get
a life, will ya?"
Copyright
2001 Michael Brendan McLarney Critically
Ill
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